TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE,(PIA) – Major Amado Gutierez, Information Officer, 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, Camp Lukban, Catbalogan, Samar assured, that their operatives have always kept a closer and heighten alert against any terror act.
Speaking live in a phone interview over DYVL today, Gutierez informed that their intelligence operatives in the region never went complacent particularly during this time when reports about the 300 Marwan-trained bombers could possibly wreck havoc elsewhere.
“We are not complacent, instead, we continue with our intelligence gathering, our men in the field are always alert”, Gutierez said.
The officer also mentioned that the Philppine Army(PA) is in lateral coordination with the Philippine National Police(PNP) that, every time either of them needs support, it is always granted.
“We recognize the importance of our coordination, so with our communication frequencies that must be the same whenever we have tactical operation”, he added.
On February 3, 2015, a group of Army soldiers encountered a group of New Peoples Army(NPA) in barangay Imelda, Las Navas, Northern Samar while they were rendering a relief/medical mission. The incident captured two NPAs but cost the life of the army officer and team leader.
Asked why there still exist some NPAs when the province had already been declared in the recent past as a development-ready area, Gutierez said, these are but remnants of the past insurgent force. They are but few lawless elements who are being hunted down.
“That is why, we continue with our campaign to win the hearts and minds of these few rebels, our campaign is for them to join the mainstream society and live peacefully with their families” Gutierez concluded.(PIA-08)
