ARMED Forces chief of Staff General Cirilito Sobejana has ordered the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) to continuously ensure that the country’s maritime waters in the northern part of the country are secured and safe for Filipino fishermen, as he lauded the command for its success in its counterinsurgency operations.
“We must continually patrol our maritime territories, closely coordinate with other government agencies and offer support to the people who are affected. I urge you to continue excellently performing your mandate,” the top military chief said during his visit to the command, where he talked with soldiers led by Nolcom commander Lt. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr.
In Central Luzon—under the operational command of the Nolcom—Brig. Gen. Andrew Costelo, commander of the Army’s 703rd Infantry Brigade, also reported the dismantling of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya Sierra Madre (KLG Sierra Madre), the biggest operational front of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Central Luzon.
The dismantling of the KLG Sierra Madre, which formerly operated in the provinces of Aurora, Nueva Ecija and parts of Nueva Vizcaya, followed the earlier dismantling by the 703rd Brigade of two other NPA commands in the region, the KLG Caraballo and Larangan Gerilya sa Patag 1 (LGP1).
During his meeting with Burgos and other officials of Nolcom, Sobejana conveyed the military leadership’s appreciation for the command’s success in counterterrorism and anti-insurgency operations. More than half of the rebels’ existing front committees in northern and central Luzon has been neutralized.
‘North Shield’
“The Nolcom’s accomplishments clearly manifest our troops’ dedication and commitment to continuously pursue their core functions notwithstanding the prevailing health crisis brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Their perseverance and hard work are what made all these successful operations possible,” said Sobejana, noting that the feat was done while the command was also carrying out its territorial defense campaign plan “North Shield.”
The Nolcom heads the Area Task Force-North (ATF-North), which includes other government agencies and is tasked with securing the northern maritime territories, including the Philippine Rise, the Batanes waters, the country’s eastern seaboard and even Scarborough Shoal.
Sobejana said that while Nolcom’s effort to achieve its mission and strategic objectives, especially against the rebels, remains paramount, it is also pushing the country’s “rightful assertion” of Philippine sovereignty over its maritime territories in the West Philippine Sea.
The dismantling by the 703rd Brigade of the KLG Sierra Madre was officially declared following joint validation by the military and the Philippine National Police.
“This accomplishment was made possible through the efforts of soldiers, with the support of the Police Regional Office 3 and key stakeholders who quietly worked and made their presence felt mostly in the hinterlands of Central Luzon,” Costelo said.