TACLOBAN CITY– The town of Inopacan, Leyte, has officially declared itself insurgency-free during the commemoration of the 18th anniversary of the discovery of the Inopacan Massacre on August 28, 2024.
Sapang Bato, a mountain village in Inopacan, was reportedly the site of summary executions and the burial ground for at least 67 members of the New People’s Army (NPA), who were killed by their own comrades.
The skeletal remains were unearthed in the town on August 28, 2006. It is estimated by former rebels and the victims’ relatives that the mass purging, known as “Oplan Venereal Disease,” killed around 300 people in Leyte alone during the 1980s.
During the 18th anniversary commemoration of the exhumation, the victims’ family members expressed their sorrow and despair over the ordeal their loved ones endured. They strongly condemned the NPA, holding them responsible for the misery and loss they suffered.
One relative, “Alma” (not her real name), shared her painful experience of being in Grade 2 when armed men abducted her father from their home in 1985. She tearfully recalled never seeing her father again after that night. Now in her 50s, she and her family continue to seek justice.
Following similar declarations in neighboring towns, the local government of Inopacan, led by Mayor Rogelio D. Pua Jr., officially declared the town under Stable Internal Peace and Security Conditions (SIPSC), with the strong support of the community to reject any forces that threaten their peace.
The ceremony was attended by key stakeholders and partner agencies committed to promoting sustainable peace and development.
Also present were Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos Cari, and representatives from the municipality of Mahaplag.
Many massacre victims were from Baybay City, Inopacan, and Mahaplag.
Notable figures who led the commemoration and the formal signing of Inopacan’s SIPSC declaration included Roma Demeterio, cluster head of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Leyte, and Police Lt.Col. Ricky Reli, deputy provincial director of the Philippine National Police Leyte.
In his speech, Lt. Col. Rosalejos congratulated the people of Inopacan for their collective effort in achieving this significant milestone.
He emphasized that the declaration marks a new chapter for the town, paving the way for tourism and investment while ensuring that the horrors of the past are never repeated.
“We are moving beyond this dark chapter in our history, advancing toward a brighter and lasting peace, while carrying with us the lessons that will ensure the NPA never again sows terror among us,” Rosalejos said in the vernacular.
The SIPSC declaration was made official through a covenant signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Pledges of Commitment, concluding with the release of white doves to symbolize peace and new beginnings.
Meanwhile, 802nd Brigade Commander Brigadier General Noel A. Vestuir commended all stakeholders in Inopacan for their commitment to maintaining a safe environment.
“With the declaration of another town in Leyte as under Stable Internal Peace and Security Conditions, we send a strong message of unity in our quest to end local communist armed conflict and maintain a peaceful and secure environment for the peace-loving people of these towns,” Vestuir said.
(ROEL T.AMAZONA)
