THE military is expected to craft a softer operational plan for its internal-security operations if ever it would revise its existing Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan.
The military is expected to draft a new operational plan for the Communist insurgency following the much-anticipated resumption of peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
The tamer campaign plan against what the Armed Forces has identified or listed as domestic threat groups should take into account the stance of the Duterte administration in talking with three key groups—the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army, the Moro National Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front.
Only two remaining groups, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), both of which have pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State and have also been tagged by the government as terrorist groups, were not included in the negotiations sphere of the administration.
Sources from the military said the leadership has not moved yet, or is even working to craft another campaign plan, which should steer or serve as the operational road map of the Armed Forces in dealing with the various threat groups, because it has been too busy adjusting to its new role in the overall campaign against criminality.
“The military leadership is also toiling over the fact that the Commander in Chief prefers negotiations instead of the usual military operations in dealing with these groups. This drive and even policy has to be reflected in the operational plan if there is even a need to craft a new one,” one of the sources said.
“The new campaign plan should accommodate President Duterte’s preference for talks and the use of force if needed, especially against the two terrorist groups,” the source added.
However, National Security Adviser Hermogenes C. Esperon Jr. said earlier there may no longer be a need to draft a new operational plan for internal security operations and the Armed Forces would just have to revise the IPSP Bayanihan, in order to accommodate the developments with the New People’s Army and the two Moro groups.
The IPSP Bayanihan, a supposed-to-be “whole-of-government” approach in dealing with the problems of Communist insurgency and Moro secessionism and is associated with the former Aquino administration, was a failure as it failed to achieve its objectives.
When it was crafted and implemented, military officials said it should end insurgency and bring peace in Mindanao under the Aquino administration’s missions that it sorely missed.
Before Aquino, the administration of former President Arroyo also implemented Oplan Bantay-Laya against Communist rebels and the Moros, but the campaign also faltered.
Meanwhile, Military Spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto L. Aguilar said they have not recorded any fighting with the rebels since Duterte announced a ceasefire with the Left.
He said if this will be reciprocated by the rebels, then it would be a good sign to start the peace talks.