TACLOBAN CITY — The newly installed commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade (IB) of the Philippine Army in Camp Downes, Ormoc City, pledged to continue the efforts of his predecessors in combating insurgency in Leyte and neighboring areas.
Brigadier General Pompeyo Jason Almagro assumed command, replacing Col. Rico Amaro, who served as acting commander for over a month following the retirement of BGen. Noel Vestuir.
“We will continue what the previous brigade commander has started, as instructed by the commander of the 8th Infantry Division,” BGen. Almagro said in a media interview after he was formally installed on Saturday, Nov. 8.
He emphasized that he will carry on programs such as “Project Ultimatum,” which seeks to eradicate remaining insurgents in the region if they refuse to surrender. Under the program, rebel groups from the same province who surrender together are offered cash assistance sourced from the local government unit.
“Fortunately, we have reduced the number of rebels in Leyte significantly, but we will continue to pursue our division commander’s mandate to neutralize insurgent operations here and in the southern part of Samar Island,” BGen. Almagro added.
Before his assignment to the 802nd IB, he served in the 1st Infantry Division in Southern Mindanao, the first military unit to dismantle all New People’s Army fronts in the region. He hopes his experience there will help finally end the insurgency in Eastern Visayas.
The 802nd IB covers the entire Leyte Island, Biliran Island, and southern towns in Eastern and Samar provinces.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
