AN official of the Philippine Army told members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Monday that Pangasinan remains insurgency-free and there were no sightings of insurgents in the province over the past two years.

Lt. Col. Benny Singca, battalion commander of the 71^st Infantry (Kaibigan) Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Mangatarem town, said that it is the result of a collaboration of their brigade with other battalions operating in Zambales and Tarlac, the Philippine National Police and the cooperation of communities themselves.

The status of an insurgency-free Pangasinan was declared in 2022 and re-affirmed in September 2023 under the internal peace and security for a secured environment, he said.

But he said they are not lowering their guards. “Although we are not seeing them. our operations will continue as if they are still here… at the same time, we are capacitating our barangays in a manner… that the community itself will disallow the armed groups to go back there in their traditional areas,” he stressed.

He lauded the efforts of the PNP Pangasinan in complementing their efforts.

For his part, Vice Gov. Mark Lambino in a separate interview, lauded the Army and the PNP’s efforts. “We are happy when it comes to general peace and order and insurgency-free Pangasinan, ” he said.

Lambino added that one of the issues raised during the Question Hour was about monitoring of investors’ assets and investments that are coming to Pangasinan.

P/BGen. Lou Evangelista, police regional director, also corroborated the statement of Singca on the insurgency-free status of Pangasinan, citing the peaceful climate in the region.  (Eva Visperas)

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