New military campaign to end decades-long insurgency problem – AFP

MANILA, Philippines – The Army is confident a new campaign plan replacing “Oplan Bantay Laya” will end the decades-old insurgency problem if followed faithfully by all stakeholders.

Army spokesman Col. Antonio Paralde Jr. said the plan would entail greater participation of local government units and focus on the accountability of ground commanders and developmental projects.

Oplan Bantay Laya was launched in 2002 to end rebellion in the country. But militant groups claimed it only resulted in human rights abuses and unexplained killings. It lapsed last June 30 without achieving its goal, they said.

“What we’re trying to push is that this new campaign plan should be crafted by the local government executive… This is not a typical military approach to insurgency,” Parlade said, adding that in the crafting of previous security campaigns, local officials were excluded.

The Army spokesman said in the new campaign, upholding human rights would be a key policy.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), state agencies, and non-government organizations are mapping out a new peace and security strategy through a series of workshops, which began last Sept. 1 in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

The AFP cited the need to integrate internal security operations with the peace process to end the insurgency problem.

“We want to open it (discussions) to everybody. We need to involve stakeholders to come up with a solution to the problem,” Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, AFP deputy chief for operations, said in an interview.

Jennifer Santiago Oreta, political science professor of the Ateneo de Manila University, said the internal security operations should deal with the roots of rebellion like injustice and poverty.

Oreta said both the military and the rebels should avoid labeling as this could jeopardize the peace talks. The military has been branding the insurgents as “terrorists” while the communist rebels have been describing the armed forces as “fascists,” limiting opportunity for a dialogue. –Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star)