Partido Reporma chairman and standard bearer Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson believes the military and police are moving in the right direction in its bid to put an end to the insurgency problem in the country.

Lacson is also supportive of the operations of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) that is based on a correct concept in fighting insurgency.

In a recent interview with Radyo Bombo, Lacson noted that government forces are clearly speeding up efforts to end the insurgency problem.

“Ang magandang nangyayari rito meron silang kasunod na tinatawag na Barangay Development Program, hindi basta military offfensive ang nag nakapaloob sa kanila istratehiya. (The good thing is they have this so-called Barangay Development Program, not just military offensive, that is included in their strategy,” he said.

A former chief of the Philippine National Police, Lacson said the BDP is implemented after each military operation for the clearing of community from the grip or influence of communist rebels.

By implementing development projects in cleared barangay areas, the military puts in place projects under the BDP .

:At the same time, iyong mga NPA naman may pagkakataon sila para bumalik sa mainstream kasi may available na development program para sa kanila. (The NPA, on the other hand is given the opportunity to return to the mainstream because the BDP program has been made available for them),” explained Lacson.

In the same interview, Lacson lauded the NTF-ELCAC for its successful operations.

However, Lacson said political interference in some areas already cleared result in the denial of government assistance to cleared communities.

“Pero by and large, successful naman ang pag-iimplementa kasi nasabi ko nga kanina para itong iyong water lily theory na kung saan pagdaan ng bangka - ‘yon ang nirerepresenta ng military - ay nagtatabihan iyong mga NPA, iyong water lily. Paglampas nila magbabalikan din. (But by and large they are successful in implementation as I said earlier, this is like the ‘water lily theory’ that happens when a boat which represents the military, passes by the water lilies, representing the NPA, also get out of the way. When they have passed through, they also return.),” said Lacson.

However, with the current military approach of initiating development projects in barangays, the chance of NPA return becomes unlikely.

of NPA return As a result, NPA rebels are given the opportunity to go back to the mainstream, said Lacson.