Isabela town declared free of NPA rebels

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Palanan, a coastal town in Isabela, is now free of New People’s Army rebels.

The town was declared insurgency-free and in ”a state of stable internal peace and security” yesterday, based on a resolution approved by the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) and Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC).

Officials said two other coastal towns, Maconacon and Divilacan, will be declared rebel-free today. Dinapigue will follow suit.

MTF-ELCAC and MPOC were convinced that Palanan deserves to be declared as the first coastal town in Isabela to be declared free from the control and intrusion of communist terrorists, according to Maj. Rigor Pamittan, spokesman for the 5th Infantry Division.

He said no rebel activity has been monitored in the town for more than a year now.