By Martin Sadongdong
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and Armed Force of the Philippines' Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (AFP JTF-NCR) signed a three-year pact on Monday to defeat all threat groups and criminal elements in Metro Manila.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Guillermo Eleazar
(FILE PHOTO / FEDERICO CRUZ / MANILA BULLETIN)
NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar and Brigadier General Cristobal Zaragoza, commander of AFP JTF-NCR, formally inked Implementation Plan (IMPLAN) "KALASAG" 2019-2022 at the NCRPO Grandstand in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.
According to Eleazar and Zaragoza, IMPLAN KALASAG is the PNP and AFP's response to President Duterte's Executive Order No. 70 which mandates the government bureaucracy to take a "whole-of-nation approach" in defeating insurgency.
Through the IMPLAN KALASAG, Eleazar said that the JTF-NCR and NCRPO will conduct "joint security, peace and order, and development support operations" effective Monday until December 31, 2022 "to develop strategies and plans that can defeat all threat groups and criminal elements."
"This is to ensure security and maintain public safety that is fundamental for socio-politico-economic progress in the National Capital Region," Eleazar said.
Under the plan, Eleazar said the NCRPO will take the lead role in carrying out law enforcement operations and legal offensives including the dismantling and neutralizing of criminal gangs, other criminal elements, and private armed groups.
The NCRPO will also be responsible in arresting and filing cases against "target" personalities and criminal organizations; providing security to critical and vital infrastructures; and preserving evidence during joint PNP and AFP operations, he noted.
"Nakalatag na 'yong aming mga plano tungkol dyan and not only their personnel but resources of Joint Task Force-NCR will be augmenting and supporting the NCRPO (Our plans have all been laid out and not only their personnel but also the resources of the Joint Task Force-NCR will be augmenting and supporting the NCRPO)," Eleazar said.
Zaragoza said the JTF-NCR will take the lead in the fight against suspected communists, and local and foreign terror groups in the NCR, monitor peace-inclined armed groups, and implement peace agreements.
"Complementing ang aming efforts sa anti-terrorism and in supporting LGUs in providing basic services (Our anti-terrorism efforts and support for local government units in providing basic services complement each other)," Zaragoza stated.
"Walang NPA dito sa Manila pero mayroon ditong mga sectoral organizations na identified sa NPA (There are no members of NPA (New People's Army) here in Manila but there are sectoral organizations identified with the NPA)," he said.
The JTF-NCR chief said these supposed NPA-allied groups are responsible for organizing events in Metro Manila which serve as a chance for them to recruit new members.
"Sila yung sumusupport sa mga rebellion. Dito sila nag-o-organize sa Metro Manila, pati mga estudyante. Kung may makita sila na medyo masigasig ang suporta sa kanila, ire-recruit nila ito para maging NPA (They support rebel groups. They organize . If they see someone who passionately supports their cause, they will recruit that personto be part of the NPA)," Zaragoza claimed.
"Sila rin ang instrumento sa pangingikil sa ibang business organizations. Itong teamwork namin ay matagal na namin ginagawa and we were able to identify kung saan kami dapat magpalakas (They also extort from business organizations. This teamwork has been in place for a long time and we were able to identify areas of cooperation that we need to improve on)," he added.
On January 10, 2019, PNP chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde and then AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Carlito Galvez formally signed the AFP-PNP Joint Campaign Plan "KAPANATAGAN" 2019-2022 that served as a foundation of the IMPLAN Kalasag.