BONGABON, Nueva Ecija – Military
and local officials have pressed for the return of an Army brigade in this town
amid the clamor by concerned citizens and peace advocates who expressed fears
its continued absence could trigger the resurgence of the New People’s Army in
the province and two adjoining provinces.
Mayor Allan
Xystus Gamilla said negotiations to relocate the headquarters of the 702nd
Infantry Brigade in Barangay Calaanan here are on-going.
Gamilla said
Gen. Vic Castro, 702nd IB commander, has been talking with other
military officials to effect the transfer of the brigade headquarters from
Binmaley, Pangasinan back to Calaanan, where it was based for 25 years.
“Talks are
on-going and on our end, we are also negotiating with the owner of the land
where the former brigade headquarters used to stand to have him donate a parcel
of his land for this purpose,” he said.
The brigade
headquarters were set up in 1987 in Calaanan – some eight kilometers from the
town proper - through a donation made by Navy Captain Rosendo Herrera. But the
brigade relocated in Binmaley in 2012 after Herrera bared plans to sell the
land housing the brigade to prospective buyers.
The brigade was
replaced by a 74-man 56th Infantry Battalion formerly stationed in
Baler, Aurora and a reconnaissance company from the 7th Infantry
Division based in Fort
Magsaysay
Gamilla said the
municipal government is also negotiating with Herrera to donate two hectares of
the four-hectare area for the planned return of the brigade headquarters. He
said the much smaller 56th IB does not have enough manpower to cope
with internal security threats.
“Besides, their
lean force of only 74 men are even farmed out to different areas,” he said.
Gamilla said
that since the 702nd brigade pulled out its forces, this created a
big impact in the community, particularly as it used to control the
tri-boundaries of Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya and this province, which used to be
known strongholds.
He recalled that
when Armed Forces of the Philippines
Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista was still its brigade commander, the
three provinces were cleared of NPA presence. But when the brigade pulled out
its troops and moved its base to Pangasinan, they have noticed an increase in
rebel activities in these areas.
In 2012,
Gamilla’s mother, former three-term mayor Amelia Gamilla, objected to the
transfer of the Army camp and appealed to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Bautista
to order it returned.
She said the
return of the 702nd IB has been the popular clamor not only of the
people of her town but also in nearby areas, particularly with the spate of
incidents involving rebels, including the burning of heavy equipment in Barangay
Villa, which also led to the death of an employee of the Department of Public
Works and Highways.
The
elder Gamilla said Gazmin assured her he would talk to Herrera and try to
convince him not to sell the land.
She
said that when Maj. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. became commanding general of
the 7th ID, the brigade was suddenly transferred and its forces
pulled out of the town.
Catapang has
since been named commanding general of the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom)
based in Camp Aquino
The Gamillas said the brigade has helped the municipality and nearby towns and provinces not only to become successful in the counter-insurgency operations and in the maintenance of peace and order but also in forest protection and community service. - Manny Galvez
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