Tacloban declared as rebel-free city

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 11 (PNA) –- The Army, police and local government here officially declared this city as free from serious threats of communist rebels.

With this declaration on Friday morning, all 40 towns and three cities in Leyte province are now stable internal peace and security areas.

Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez and Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin welcomed the joint declaration of the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, and city government.

Witnessing the declaration on Friday morning are key city officials, Army 802nd Brigade Commander Col. Francisco Mendoza, city police chief Sr. Supt. Rolando Bade, 78th Infantry Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Allan Jose Taguba.

The status of stable internal peace and security is a condition where a place is no longer affected by insurgency. Under this category, presence of communist group can still be felt, but their influence is considered insignificant.

Mendoza said that the declaration will mean a greater chance for the city, which is the capital of Eastern Visayas, to invite more businessmen to invest.

“This will attract investment for the city especially among investors who have no knowledge or idea of what is the security situation here in Tacloban. We cannot expect big time investors to pour in their money here if they don’t know the security situation of the city,” Mendoza said.

There had been no recorded armed battle between military and communist group in the city, but for the province of Leyte, the last major firefight between the government troops and rebels was 10 years ago in Albuera town.

“We cannot say that they are already gone because the condition of this declaration is we are able to reduce them to the lowest formation such that they are no longer capable of threatening the security. 

They are still around but they are already very small and they can no more threat the security,” Mendoza added.

With the declaration the role of peace and order and security will now be handled by the local police.

Romualdez, for her part, has called on city residents to commit to do their best to cooperate and assist each other in making the city a safe and better place to live in and to achieve lasting peace and order.

“We need to ensure to our investors that there is peace and order in Tacloban. For them to confidently invest in our city they need to have confidence in our peace and order,” Romualdez said.

Citing a report from the local police, Romualdez said that crime rate in the city had declined by 55 percent.

“I hope that this will continue and we need to give due credit to our law enforcement people,” the mayor added. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR