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The newly activated 88th Infantry Battalion which is placed under the operational control of 4th Infantry Division is tasked to address the threat situation in the southern part of Bukidnon province.

In a simple ceremony at the Headquarters 88IB in South Poblacion, Maramag, Bukidnon, Majo Gen. Ronald Villanueva, 4ID Commander underlined the specific tasks and mission of the battalion that are aligned to the current AFP campaign which is the Development Support and Security Plan “Kapayapaan.”

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He also emphasized during the program about the ultimate objective of the New People’s Army.

“When we talk about terrorism, we don’t only mean Maute or Isis, we also talk about the New People’s Army that have longed made the lives of our people in Bukidnon miserable. Not only that they burn trucks and plantations but also extort hard-earned money from poor farmers and worst, recruit children to fight against the government,” Villanueva said.

Villanueva added that the real intent of the NPA is not to topple down the armed forces but to take the government from the people. To this, he said, the new battalion should be steadfast and resilient so that not only to eliminate the NPA but to address the insurgency problem that has stunted the country’s development.

“To all of you, soldiers of this battalion, I expect that you will always bear the professionalism as you execute your tasks,” he said.

He said he will not tolerate human rights violations and that the soldiers should earn the respect of the people.

“Don’t let one mistake destroy what we have sacrificed for our country. We support the intent of our commander-in-chief to protect the state and the people. Again, I remind all of you to perform only your duty as a disciplined soldier,” Villanueva said.

The activation and deployment of 88IB that is composed of 450 soldiers is part of the president’s plan to hasten the resolution of all internal conflicts in the country. This will help pave way for the smooth implementation of all government programs and services that would benefit every Filipinos in all parts of the archipelago. (4id)

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