BY OLIVER T. BACCAY, PIA
CALAYAN, Cagayan (May 10)—”We want to sustain our status as an insurgency-free, terrorist-free and drug-free municipality.”
Thus said Mayor Joseph Llopis during the information and service caravan conducted by the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in the island.
Llopis noted that based on intelligence reports, there are no Calayanos who were reportedly linked with a rebel group and there was also no record of encounters nor attempts of the New People’s Army (NPA) infiltration in the area.
“Though we are very peaceful on this island, we need to sustain the effort. We also need government collaborations to improve further our status because left-leaning groups tend to cultivate situations in remote areas like ours,” Llopis said.
He also stated that the government development projects helped a lot in maintaining peace and security on the island to include the construction of inter-barangay accessibility roads, the establishment of a sea-port and a community airport, provision of social services and other poverty alleviation programs.
Llopis admitted that years back, the municipality had also recorded issues on crimes, drugs and poaching but were already addressed through concerted government effort.
He also said insurgency will impede development in an area that is why it is very important to safeguard the town from NPA infiltration attempts.
“If the rebel will enter your area, there will be no stability, no progress and, definitely, no investors because of extortion activities,” Llopis added.
He also said the orientation activity which the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency in Region 2 conducted in the island is necessary to inform the people on the deceiving tactics of the rebels in persuading the people to be part of the leftist group to fight against the government.