PATRICIO
ILOILO CITY – The 301st Infantry Brigade is aiming to free Iloilo province from the threat of insurgency.
Brig. Gen. Nhel Richard Patricio recently disclosed that the 301st IB has set a target of status reclassification by the first quarter of this year.
Iloilo is now qualified for Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) – an area that no longer is a stronghold of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People's Army (NPA).
There are still small encounters but Patricio said these are remnants of disbanded major NPA groups.
The SIPS classification must be endorsed by the Iloilo Provincial Peace and Order Council headed by Gov. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr.
Patricio said the SIPS classification will spur growth and development threatened by the CPP-NPA.
Capiz is the remaining province threatened by the CPP-NPA In Panay Island.
The province of Antique was placed under SIPS status last year while Aklan attained this in the 2010s.