ILOILO City – After four months of rigid training, 243 persons who took up the Candidate Soldier Course (CSC) graduated at the Division Training School (DTS) of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) in Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz.
The 243 new soldiers will be deployed to Central and Western Visayas, said Major General Dinoh Dolina, 3ID commander.
“They are ready to augment our soldiers to make this country peaceful,” he added.
Of the 243 soldiers, 104 were from the province of Iloilo, 52 from Capiz, six from Aklan, four from Antique, four from Guimaras, 52 from Negros Occidental, seven from Negros Oriental, three from Bohol, nine from Mindanao, and two from Luzon.
The soldiers’ graduation was held on July 16. A Culinary Arts graduate from Barangay Lagdungan, Tapaz, Capiz topped the class. Genesis Jimenez had a general point average of 90.4 percent in all evaluated subjects both academic and non-academic.
A close second was April John Valencia of Barangay Lucero, Jamindan, Capiz. He had a general point average of 90.3 percent.
“You are soldiers now. You have to act like one. The Philippine Army is an institution bound by rules and regulations. Adhere to these regulations,” said Environment secretary Roy Cimatu, the graduation speaker.
He urged them to observe discipline, obedience and loyalty.
“Patunayan ninyo na hindi nagkamali ang Philippine Army at Armed Forces of the Philippines sa pagpili sa inyo upang maging sundalo at tagapagtanggol ng ating bansa,” Cimatu added.
3ID’s Dolina said localized peace talks could better address the insurgency problem.
Recently, Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison said the National Democratic Front of the Philippines would no longer negotiate with the Duterte administration and instead join with forces out to topple the government.
President Rodrigo Duterte belittled Sison’s threat, saying he had no problem “if they are not willing to talk to me.”
Dolina said localized peace negotiations with the New People’s Army – the armed wing of the communist party – were a better and more feasible option.
But “local governments (should help) mediate,” he stressed, “Kasi, kung kami lang, hindi namin magawa.”
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is in charge of internal security operations.
“Not only the local governments but all stakeholders such as the church. I’m pushing for local peace talks kasi malaki ang maitulong nito sa campaign against insurgents,” said Dolina.
Citing the stream of rebels surrendering to the military and police, Dolina expressed confidence the insurgency problem in Panay Island may be resolved by the end of this year.
“I’m so positive. That is our target so we need everybody’s support,” said Dolina.
He estimated the number of armed rebels in Western Visayas at 380 – 150 in Panay Island and the rest in Negros Island.
Since June 2016, 25 rebels in Region 6 had surrendered, said Donila./PN
