TACLOBAN CITY (PNA) – The government is strengthening its fight against the New People’s Army (NPA) in six conflict-stricken barangays in Palapag, Northern Samar with the deployment of 232 policemen who are part of the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) team.
The 232 policemen replaced the 162 personnel deployed in Palapag for months to participate in the government's whole-of-nation approach to end the decades-old insurgency.
“We held a send-off ceremony in Northern Samar last July 11 for these 232 personnel to help suppress insurgency in Northern Samar and promote sustainable peace and development among communities,” said Police Lt. Col. Ma. Bella Rentuaya, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here in an interview Wednesday, July 13.
The RCSP teams will be assigned to Barangays Pampang, Paysod, Talolora, Binay, Monbon, and Jangtud.
Rentuaya said the new batch of policemen belongs to the Basic Internal Security Operations Course Class 33-2021. They also completed the five-day RCSP orientation.
As part of their RCSP task, they will conduct a needs assessment to identify primary and secondary issues being exploited by the NPAs.
This action of the RCSP will make them the community’s bridge to the concerned government agencies in addressing their issues, according to Rentuaya.
In a statement, PNP Eastern Visayas director Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac expressed optimism that the people would feel secure with the presence of government forces in their area.
"The primary objective is to end the operation of the communist terrorist group in the areas and stop their deceptive recruitment. We must end their armed struggle against the government and promote peace,” Banac added.