FORMER REBEL-CONTROLLED PAQUIBATO EYED AS ECOTOURISM DESTINATION

By ROGER M. BALANZA

Paquibato, Davao City’s mountainous district that for decades the hotbed of communist insurgency in the Davao Region, is now being eyed as an ecotourism destination after the district was declared rebel-free.

Paquibato, for years, was the home base of the elusive, legendary rebel leader Leoncio “Ka Parago” Pitao of the Pulang Bagani Command of the New Peoples Army (NPA), the armed of the communist movement in the Philippines.

The death of Parago in a raid by military in his rebel camp was setback that drastically reduced rebel presence and influence in the hinterland district.

PEACE 911, as anti-insurgency campaign in Paquibato by then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, now Vice President, was followed last year by declaration by military of Paquibato as rebel-free .

Paquibato District has the potential for ecotourism, Davao City .Councilor Tek Ocampo, chair of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

Ocampo and Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, chair of the Committee on Tourism and Beautification, recomended Paquibato as a tourism site to Mayor Baste Duterte, who order the councilors to identify potential destinations.

“Upon the instruction of the city mayor nagatuyok ta sa matag area sa Davao City specially sa far flung areas nangita mi ug ecotourism sites and nagstart mi sa Paquibato District. Ang target nato Davao City will not only be known for Eden Nature Park, Malagos or Philippine Eagle, but it will also be known for our natural resources nga nindot kaayo,” Ocampo said in a recent interview with City Hall-owned Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR).

Sara Duterte-Carpio, AFP top brass tackle Davao City rebel areas

The communist rebel-influenced hinterland district of Paquibato in Davao City  was the main focus as Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio met with top military officials to discuss the insurgency problem in the city.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of staff Carlito Galvez Jr. and Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) commander Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal met with Mayor Sara on Monday to discuss issues involving conflict areas, including mountainous Paquibato which has a heavy presence of armed New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

Also present during the meeting were Maj. Gen. Noel Clement, 10th Infantry Division commander, and Maj Gen Macairog Alberto, the chief of the Intelligence Service of the AFP.

Paquibato is the home base of the NPA First Pulang Bagani Command (PBC1), which calls its territory the area that straddles the boundaries of Davao City, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon and Davao del Sur.

 PBC1 was headed for three decades by Leoncio Pitao aka Ka Parago until his death three years ago in an ambush by military in Davao del Norte. Elizalde Canete aka Ka Jinggoy, who replaced Parago, was arrested last month in a Bukidnon hospital where he was being treated for wounds suffered during a previous firefight with troopers. 

Mayor Sara briefed the AFP top brass on Peace 911, a local government initiative bringing social services, infrastructure, livelihood” and other forms of interventions to rebel-infested areas. The project was launched last month.

The mayor also underscored the importance of continued coordination between the city government and the military to achieve a just and lasting peace in the city.

“We discussed the areas where we can collaborate with them to achieve just and lasting peace in our city,” the mayor said. 

Mayor Sara said that while the military’s main objective is “their operation because that is their expertise,” she sees the need to emphasize the local government’s role in addressing the root causes of rebellion.

She pointed out that poverty remains the primary reason why civilians join the NPA.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 11 earlier vowed to pour billions worth of infrastructure projects in Paquibato District to help alleviate the living conditions of the residents.

Among the infrastructure projects that the NEDA promised is the road concreting to provide people better access to the market and government services.

“There will be a lot of projects that NEDA has prepared together with other agencies such as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for Paquibato District to help them in their daily lives,” NEDA-11 Director Maria Lourdes Lim said. (with report by Funny Pearl Gajunera/PNA)

LEONCIO KA PARAGO PITAO, NEW PEOPLES ARMY, NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT, PEACE TALKS – DURIAN POST DURIANBURGDAVAO ARCHIVES

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NEW PEOPLE’S ARMY

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NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT

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NPA COMMANDER PARAGO KILLED IN ENCOUNTER

Leoncio Pitao alias Parago, commander of the NPA’s Pulang Bagani Command (PBC 1) SMRC and one unidentified female rebel were killed in an encounter at Purok 9, Brgy Pañalum, Paquibato District, Davao City around 2:30 this afternoon.
Combined elements of 10ID’s Task Force Minion formed several months ago to capture one of the country’s most notorious NPA leader caught up with Parago’s group triggering a twenty-minute firefight. Recovered from the encounter site were two (2) M16 Rifles, three (3) backpacks and several rounds of Rifle grenades. The still unidentified slain female rebel is believed to be Parago’s medical aide.
Leoncio Pitao has several standing warrant of arrests for various crimes ranging from murder, multiple frustrated murder and robbery. He gained notoriety as an NPA Leader in Southern Mindanao since late 80’s.
These development came barely two weeks after Pitao’s group encountered government troops in the house of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas – Southern Mindanao Region (KMP-SMR) Secretary General Aida Seisa at Purok 7, Barangay Paradise Embac, Paquibato District, this City where three (3) of his security elements were killed. Militant groups have since claimed that what transpired was a massacre. Two more NPA Rebels were also killed in a pursuit operation on June 17 in Purok Mangga in the same village.
“After these two encounters with PBC 1, information from local villagers started pouring in which allowed us to track down their movement and activities particularly that of Parago” says Major General Eduardo M Año , Commander of 10th Infantry Agila Division who personally oversees Task Force Minion. “Apparently, the people have been fed up with the group’s banditry and terrorism,” General Año added.
With Parago’s death, NPA Bandits operating in Southern Mindanao is expected to further plunge in a serious leadership crisis following the neutralization of other top NPA leaders early this year.
General Año lauded the combined troops of 1003rd Brigade, 69th Infantry Battalion, 10th Military Intelligence Battalion and Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) for successfully neutralizing one of the country’s most notorious NPA leaders. He further thanked the local community whose information they provided led to the neutralization of Parago.
“Leoncio Pitao alias Parago may have eluded arrest several times but eventually the long arms of the law caught up with him. We hope that with his death, the communities especially in Paquibato District which he has terrorized for a very long time will now experience true and lasting peace.” General Año concluded.PRESS RELEASE.

5th CRG , 201510th Infantry Division, Armed Forces