TACLOBAN CITY — The municipality of Leyte has been declared under a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC), making it the fifth local government unit in the province’s third congressional district to achieve the status and further narrowing the areas yet to be declared insurgency-free in Leyte.
The declaration was made during a ceremony held Monday, July 20, at the Leyte Municipal Hall, attended by local government and security officials.
Mayor Jed Granados led the municipal government in receiving the declaration together with 802nd Infantry Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Pompeyo Jason Almagro, Leyte Police Provincial Office director Col. Celerino Sacro Jr. and 93rd Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Celeste Frank Sayson.
Representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and other government agencies also attended the ceremony.
Granados thanked the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, national government agencies, barangay officials and residents for their collective efforts in achieving the municipality’s SIPSC status.
He said the local government would work to sustain the town’s peaceful condition, emphasizing that peace and order are essential to the community’s development and the future of its residents.
“Peace is not merely the absence of conflict. It is the presence of trust, opportunity, justice, and hope,” Granados said.
Sacro assured residents that the police would continue law enforcement operations to protect the municipality not only from threats posed by armed groups but also from criminal activities.
“The declaration is not the end of our work,” Sacro said, stressing that police operations would continue to preserve the gains in peace and security.
Almagro described the declaration as more than a recognition of the municipality’s peaceful condition, saying it also honored the sacrifices and determination of the people and government agencies that contributed to the achievement.
He congratulated local chief executives, barangay officials and government leaders for their leadership and commitment to public service.
The brigade commander also reaffirmed the 802nd Infantry Brigade’s commitment to continue partnering with the local government in sustaining peace, strengthening communities and supporting initiatives on security, development and good governance.
“With our partners, we will continue to protect the gains we have achieved because peace is not something we simply achieve—it is something we must sustain and protect,” Almagro said.
With Leyte town’s declaration, all five municipalities in the third district of Leyte have now been declared under SIPSC. The other four are Calubian, Villaba, Tabango and San Isidro.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
