Kailangan ng adjustment: Ping says anti-insurgency efforts in right direction, but…

The security sector’s efforts to end more than 50 years of insurgency are generally going in the right direction, but will still need some refining, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson said that while the combination of localized peace talks and implementing development programs in “cleared” areas is effective, the security sector may want to tweak its approach to identifying organizations acting as fronts or recruiters of the New People’s Army.

“Masasabi ko it has not been more effective than now. Ang approach nila, una ang localized peace talks, effective kasi noon masyadong centralized, pupunta pa ng Utrecht, The Hague, para makikipagusap. Ang kausap doon na-acknowledge na walang control sa ginagawa ng NPA. Sinabi ni Joma ceasefire mamaya may ambush. Yun pala sa pagdinig na nangyari, may pinakita ang security sector na ang ceasefire ginagamit lang ng NPA para makapag-build up ng forces kasi libre sila makagala at libre silang mag-taxation at lahat. So sa ngayon mas maganda ang treatment sa peace talks localized,” he said in an interview on DWIZ radio.

He said this, plus the development of far-flung areas so the NPA cannot influence residents there, appear to be effective.

“Malaki ang hinina kasi narinig natin ngayon maaraming nagsu-surrender. Kaya sa tingin ko tama ang direction na tinatahak nina (national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr, interior secretary Eduardo Ano at defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana,” he added.

But Lacson also said the security sector may have to calibrate its identification of organizations considered as fronts of launching pads leading to membership in the NPA.

“Mas mainam siguro kung organization mismo, ang organization na inaakala ng security sector na ito nagiging front o nagiging launching pad papunta sa mga NPA, siguro ang organization na lang. Pero papangalanan mismo ang tao sa loob ng organization, doon siguro nagkakaroon ng problema kasi naging personal,” he said.

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