CATBALOGAN CITY — During the celebration of Tarangnan, Samar’s 140th Founding Anniversary on April 1, 2024, the Municipality of Tarangnan was officially declared to have attained Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status.
The declaration was formalized through a Ceremonial Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), highlighting the municipality’s successful implementation of Local Peace Engagement (LPE) initiatives down to the Barangay level, as well as its effective multi-sectoral commitment to peace and security.
Mayor Danilo Tan, Chair of Tarangnan Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, expressed his gratitude to the people of Tarangnan for their unwavering support and cooperation in achieving a peaceful community.
Lieutenant Colonel Fritz Montemor, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Infantry Battalion, commended the community for their cooperation, which he emphasized as crucial in attaining the SIPS status in Tarangnan.
“This declaration of SIPS status is the result of the sacrifices, bravery, and cooperation of our people. Insurgency is not just a lone responsibility of the AFP or any uniform service but a result of our unity,” said Lt. Col. Montemor.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Barbosa, the Deputy Provincial Director for Operations of Samar Police Provincial Office, assured the people of Tarangnan of the PNP’s unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and order in collaboration with the AFP and the Local Government Unit (LGU).
The SIPS status is a significant milestone for Tarangnan, making it the second town in Samar Province to achieve this status after Pagsanghan, which was proclaimed on December 12, 2023, and later declared as the first insurgency-free town in the province.
