By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The local government unit (LGU) of Isabela in Negros Occidental, along with the military and police inaugurated last Wednesday the newly-established Ending the Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) Fusion Center situated in Barangay 4.
Mayor Irene Montilla, along with Colonel Romy Palgue, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), Lieutenant Colonel Melvin Flores, commanding officer of 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB), and Captain Joseph Partidas, town police chief, attended the inauguration rites and blessing of the said center.
It was established for the purpose of having a centralized office for ELCAC plans and programs towards Isabeleћo.
Montilla believed that through this, the LGU can help the police and the Army in compelling those people that until now were cuffed by the New People’s Army (NPA), who brings poverty, chaos, rebellion and insisted deceptive ideologies against the government, a press release from Nocppo said.
This is also in line with the Executive Order No. 70 laid down by President Rodrigo Duterte institutionalizing the whole-of-nation-approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace, the police said.
For his part, Palgue expressed his gratitude for the unfailing support geared by the Isabeleћo towards attaining a true and long-lasting peace in their locality.
He urged the members of the rebel group to step down and return to the government for their good and hopeful tomorrow.
Further, he assured the people of Isabela that in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Nocppo will never be tired in giving quality services and to continue aiming towards its goal, “To Heal as One.”
