Good governance key to ending insurgency — AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) foresees the further decline of insurgency in the country, if not its decimation, through more effective governance by local chief executives who should take the lead role in the counter-insurgency campaign.

This was the assessment of Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz, chief of the AFP’s Civil Relations Service, in a lecture on governance before students of Master in Development Management Class 2010 of the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City last week.

Cruz stressed the importance of civilian participation and more extensive involvement of the local government units (LGUs) in the campaign against insurgency.

“We need to civilianize this insurgency war. An ideal campaign plan is conceived and implemented in harmony with all stakeholders, and with the LGUs (local government units) leading the fight. The AFP’s main role is to secure communities and allow development to prosper,” he said.

“The government’s response to insurgency requires a comprehensive, multi-dimensional, multi-agency and multi-sectoral approach to address the root causes of insurgency, not just its symptoms,” he underscored.

Cruz moreover said “political warfare” should take precedence over “physical warfare” or combat as non-military methods should dominate the counter-insurgency strategy.

“Political warfare may encompass everything other than military operations. These would include Social Integration Program under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, amnesty, rural development and poverty reduction programs, information efforts (improving image of government), peace advocacies by civil society, sustainable land reform, and the peace process,” he said.

Recognizing that the insurgency problem in the country can be best addressed by good governance, Cruz urges for more active Peace and Order Councils (POCs), where provincial government units are members themselves, in fighting the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front). PNA