By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Negros Occidental officially declared the province to be under Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) earlier this week.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, chair of the PPOC, endorsed the resolution at the 1st Quarter Joint Peace Provincial Peace and Order Council and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) Meeting on March 7. The meeting took place in the Provincial Capitol’s Social Hall attended by PPOC members, DILG Provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay, Colonel Victor Llapitan, deputy commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, officials from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), mayors, and leaders of other government and private entities.
The PPOC Resolution No. 02 Series of 2024 acknowledges peace and order as a critical element for ongoing development and for achieving inclusive, sustainable advancement across the province’s cities and municipalities.
The resolution outlines several prerequisites that formed the foundation for the SIPS declaration. These include unanimous backing from all Negros Occidental cities and municipalities for anti-insurgency measures, the unanimous adoption of “SIPS” status in their respective jurisdictions, and the disbanding of all remaining guerrilla units in the area.
Major General Marion Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, commended the PPOC for its firm support and dedication to maintaining peace, progress, and security in Negros Occidental.
“The prompt and decisive ratification of the PPOC resolution demonstrates the provincial government’s firm commitment to eradicating the local communist armed conflict,” Sison said.
He also shared that Negros Oriental had passed a similar resolution on March 6, and with the current trajectory, they aim to announce SIPS status for the entire Negros Island.
Earlier, the 3rd Infantry Division announced its intention to have Negros Island recognized as SIPS within the year’s first quarter. This decision came after reporting the dissolution of key insurgency fronts across Negros.
