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Bohol peace formula eyed for ‘bloodied’ Central Luzon
September 3, 2006 - Bohol Standard

IT may be a tall order for former Bohol top military commander Brigadier General Juanito Gomez as he assumes the top post of the Central Luzon’s 7th Infantry Division (7th ID), but he has a silver bullet in his musket.

Soon to take over command of a land so bloodstained by accusations of human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings formerly under controversial Major General Jovito Palparan, General Gomez earns the confidence of no less than Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz.

Gen. Gomez’s silver bullet for the insurgency infested Central Luzon is the same winning approach he did in Bohol, a province that was once considered a breeding ground for insurgents.

The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) here reported that the Gomez led military operations were credited for the disbandment of two of the four active New People’s Army fronts and the eventual evacuation of the rebel’s Central Visayas regional Party strategic base to Leyte.

When most images of military operations picture the gruesome deaths and bloody encounters, Bohol’s way is for peace, while putting the military in active civil military operations in focused areas in coordination with the famed convergence of all government resources, PPOC documents reveal.

In fact, Bohol story did not escape President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s attention when she mentioned Gen. Gomez counter insurgency innovation during her recent state of the nation address.

When he assumes post, Gen. Gomez would be taking over a command so differently situated from his successful campaign for peace. He would be dipped in a land so bloodstained with allegations of being under an iron fisted “butcher and executioner” a reference militant groups give to Palparan’s military counter-insurgency campaign.

But, according to newspaper reports, Defense Secretary Cruz Sec. Cruz wants the military in Central Luzon to project a new image to the public, the one success story in Bohol which he said should be a new government approach against insurgency.

Gomez assumption to the 7th ID starting September 11 when Palparan retires is the second time that the former Bohol general takes over Palparan’s command.

He took over Palparan’s 204th Infantry Brigade in Oriental Mindoro in 2002 until October 2003. Now Gen. Gomez also takes the reins from Palparan again, following a Palparan led massive counter-insurgency operations peaking in requiring for each one resident in Central Luzon to get a community tax certificate.

With the Bohol experience for Central Luzon, Secretary Cruz may again mean the Gomez’s approach through understanding and striking a deal towards a workable peace process. (rachiu/PIA)

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