Police RD statement on 

Bohol losing rebel-free 

status, not categorical 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 22 (PIA)—“Not categorical.” 

This was what Bohol Police Provincial Director Police Senior Superintendent Joselito Clarito said, when asked about the reported statement of the regional police commander that Bohol may lose its insurgency-free status. 

In reports, Police regional Director Brigadier General Albert Ignatious Ferro allegedly pointed out his observation on the rise of the activities of the communist-terrorists groups which could end up with Bohol losing its insurgency free status. 

Speaking during a command conference with Bohol Provincial Police Command at Camp Francisco Dagohoy last September 15, General Ferro saw the resurgence of CTG activities in the past three years. 

He accordingly cited reported presence of armed men in several areas and occasions, the discovery of training jungle camps, the sporadic encounters between the CTGs and the police and government troops and the alleged liquidation of barangay officials as per information from captured CTG members. 

Recently, a bloody encounter between the army and the CTGs in the hinterlands of Bohol, left two dead: one on each side. 

Succeeding mopping operations also caught up with a common criminal who joined the insurgents, purportedly to escape from criminal prosecution in the courts. 

During the recent joint Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council Meeting (PADAC) Meeting, Chairman Governor Arthur Yap raised the issue and sought the council’s take on Gen. Ferro’s statement. 

On this, Police Colonel Clarito who was also in the conference said the statement of the regional director was not categorical, and [Gen Ferro] did not even mention Bohol as threatened. 

On his part, Gov Yap cited the score the government had in the number of former CTGs who surrendered to the government. 

“Are we really in danger of the activities of the left?” the governor asked, wanting to get clarified on the meaning of insurgency-free. 

“Yes, they are here, but what is important is that we are doing something,” the governor stressed to the members of the council, which included the police and military commanders in Bohol. 

“Let us not hide in the levels, the governor urged,” hinting that insurgency-free status does not really mean there are no more insurgents, but that they are not any force capable of paralyzing government. 

Although the governor admits the CTGs are still a nuisance, he pointed out that they have been reduced to such a force that can not affect the current situation and the current affairs. 

He insisted that being insurgency free should take into consideration whether the CTGs can still mount a force enough to neutralize the operations of government. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol) 

CONTROVERSIAL AGAIN. Amidst Police Regional Director Albert Ferro’s pronouncements that Bohol may lose its insurgency free status due to the reported incidents of sightings and encounters including summary executions of barangay officials, Governor Arthur Yap wants once and for all, to define what is insurgency free, to qualify such as, if the threat of the NPAs have the force to disrupt the operation of government. General Ferro was also ascribed to the claim that he wants rumor mongers as COVID contact tracers. Here, general Ferro donned medals to wounded police, in a drug bust in Carmen town. (PIABohol/PRO7 foto)