7th ID commander Major Gen. Andrew Costelo (center) meets with his counterparts at RTF ELCAC3 at Camp Olivas on Thursday. Contributed photo.
FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija — A top ranking military official vowed a stepped-up drive along with his counterparts in the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict on Thursday “to finish its mission and objectives within time frame.”
Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division (7ID) commander Major Gen. Andrew D. Costelo who chairs the Technical Working Group of RTF-ELCAC 3, reiterated to Department of Interior and Local Government 3 regional director Karl Caesar R. Rimando, National Intelligence Agency regional director Maria Luisa F. De Guzman, Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay the call to intensify the body’s efforts, conduct collaborative activities with the national government agencies, and engage more with the community.
“We are already in the stage of this campaign that we have to be more aggressive in our efforts because six months from now, President Rodrigo Duterte will step down from the presidency and also signals the end of our timeline to defeat and eradicate the local communist armed conflict in our area of responsibility,” Costelo said during a call at Camp Olivas in Pampanga.
Costelo asked his counterparts from other agencies to strengthen their cooperation and collaboration in connection with their plans to secure the peaceful conduct of an orderly and honest election in May 9, 2022.
“We have deployed our troops in support of the PNP and Commission on Elections in their respective areas of operations for the conduct of checkpoint and implementation of the gun ban,” he said.
He stressed that the full cooperation of the community is vital for the successful conduct of the local and national elections in terms of peace and security,” Costelo added.
