Laguna’s Paete town declared ‘insurgency-free’

LUCENA CITY—The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police have declared the town of Paete in Laguna province “insurgency-free” or liberated from the influence of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

“This declaration is a testament to Laguna’s peace-loving people’s desire to break free from the clutches of terrorism and instead focus on harnessing their economic potential by ensuring peace within their communities,” Police Col. Gauvin Mel Unos, Laguna police chief, said in his speech during the ceremony held in Paete on Tuesday.

Paete is the second municipality in Laguna to have a “Stable Internal Peace and Security” (SIPS) status.

The SIPS status means that the locality has been free from NPA attacks for a year, according to the report.

Kalayaan and Sta. Maria towns were declared NPA-free municipalities in July last year while Cavinti was given the same recognition last Feb. 27.

Paete Mayor Ronald Cosico thanked the police and military for their efforts to secure peace in their town and the province.

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“When families are united, so is the community. Keep your families strong and ensure open communication with all members to prevent anyone from being misled or recruited by extremist groups,” Cosico said in his public appeal.

Local officials, representatives from different national government agencies, the military and the police in Laguna attended the declaration ceremony.

Paete, a fourth-class municipality, is famous for its wood-carving products. The town derived its name from the Tagalog word “paet,” or chisel.Laguna is composed of 24 towns and six cities.