CAMP MACARIO PERALTA, Capiz – Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta, the new Western Visayas Army chief, yesterday said he aims to reduce the New People’s Army armed strength in Region 6, estimated at 400, by 50 percent in 2013, through the Internal Peace Security Program Bayanihan, a whole-nation approach by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in "winning the peace".

“It is doable with the help of the people and other stakeholders in the peace and development campaign” Mabanta said.

Mabanta vowed to “win the peace” in Negros and Panay islands, stressing that there is no room for trial and error.

He said the 4P strategy, which includes people, process, partnership and platform or policies, will be his guide in coming up with a holistic strategy in winning the peace in Negros and Panay, and underscored the importance of strict adherence and respect to human rights by individual soldiers.

“We will not be able to go where we are going, unless, we have a clear and defined target,” Mabanta, a former spokesman of the deputy chief of staff for Operations of the Armed Forces, said, in his acceptance speech during the 3ID turnover of command presided over by Army chief Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista.

As new commander of 3ID, Mabanta said he will not change any strategies, policies and game plans of his predecessors, which have been proven to work well in the past, and tried and tested for years.

This is the time to focus on where we are going and how do we get there, he said, adding, “Our game plan should be based on focused execution, which requires a great deal of preparation”.

Mabanta said he is asking inputs from the populace. “As development seeps in, we believe the people are already tired of violence,” he said.

Challenging the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army leadership in the region to accept their “peace offer”, Mabanta said they are also open to localized peace talks, which is now being pursued by the 303rd Infantry Brigade in Negros Occidental.

As it is fatal to enter the war without the will to win it, together, ready to sacrifice and everything we’ve got, we will win the peace in Negros and Panay, he said.

Bautista called on the people of Negros and Panay to extend their support to Mabanta. He also conferred a Merit Medal for outgoing 3ID officer-in-charge, Colonel Jonas Sumagaysay, for commendable leadership of the unit , for almost three months.*GPB

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