300 soldiers deployed for SK town community immersion

By Noel Punzalan / Philippine News Agency

IMMERSION. Some 300 soldiers get last-minute instructions from their superiors and local government officials on Saturday (Dec. 12, 2020) before their deployment to six remote villages in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat that are affected by the presence of communist-terrorists. The soldiers were tasked to immerse themselves in the communities and repel attempts by the communist New People’s Army to dupe and recruit members from the remote villages. (Photo courtesy of 6ID)

COTABATO CITY – Community support program (CSP) teams, composed of soldiers from the three infantry battalions under the 603rd Infantry Brigade (Bde), were deployed on Saturday for an immersion program in remote communities in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat that are threatened or affected by the presence of communist-terrorists.

“The main purpose of the CSP is to help the barangays in the establishment of conflict-resilient communities through a multi-stakeholders and people-oriented approach,” said Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

At least 300 soldiers, backed by local militia forces, from 15 CSP teams coming from the 37th, 38th, and 57th Infantry Battalions were sent off to conduct community support activities in six affected barangays of Kalamansig, in partnership with the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC).

Kalamansig Mayor Rolando Garcia, meanwhile, expressed his appreciation to the 603Bde for deploying the CSP teams to the municipality to help in the overall peace and security efforts of the national government.

“We will continuously work with the military and any other law enforcement agency to stop the communist New People’s Army from sowing fear among communities of the municipality,” Garcia said.

He conveyed his full support for the CSP teams in the fight against insurgency through the MTF-ELCAC.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)