• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday welcomed the recommendation to declare Negros Occidental under a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS), stressing that investors will feel more confident investing in the province.
“We wanting to reach that level that there is a stable peace and order situation”, said Lacson, who chairs both the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Negros Occidental, as well as the Regional Peace and Order Council of Western Visayas.
The joint recommendation to declare Negros Occidental in a state of SIPS was made by the members of the JPSCC, which is composed of the Philippine Army, National Police, and Coast Guard, during a recent meeting held at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City.
Under the SIPS status, the province is categorized as cleared, unaffected, and is relatively peaceful, and the LGU and PNP acknowledges and accepts that only Law Enforcement Operations (LEOs) are needed, with the support of Philippine Army, if needed.
I think this is also based on the fact that, if not all fronts of the CPP-NPA have been totally dismantled, at least the (revolutionary) government that they have set up in the province has been dismantled, Lacson said.
This is the result now that the province is declared in a state of SIPS, he further said.
Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd Infantry Division commander, commended the JPSCC for its efforts in achieving the resolution marking the SIPS declaration in Negros Occidental.
Sison commended the Army, PNP, and other stakeholders for their joint recommendation through JPSCC, highlighting that the resolution is an important document that will jumpstart the declaration of SIPS, marking a significant milestone in the quest for peace.
He also emphasized the significance of continued collaboration and vigilance in maintaining peace and security in Negros.
“As we aim to declare Negros in a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security, the support, collaboration, and commitment reflects a significant initiative towards ensuring peace and stability. To achieve this, all government agencies and stakeholders need to work together in a concerted effort. Through our collaboration, we can facilitate sharing resources, expertise, and perspectives, ultimately leading to more effective strategies for establishing this shared goal for all Negrenses,” Sison stressed, in a statement issued by the 3ID Public Affairs Office.
The PPOC is expected to tackle the joint recommendation of JPSCC during its quarterly meeting on March 7 at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City.*
