CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal – Government forces, and 43 leaders of the nine Mangyan tribes of Mindoro conducted a Peace Summit on November 23, 2021, on the island of Mindoro, while the military was tipped off by a Mangyan tribesman about a rebel encampment.
Heeding the call of the President, the 203rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, and the heads of the National Commission on Indigenous People offices of the two provinces of Mindoro, steered the first Mindoro-Wide IP Leaders Peace Summit for the island. The said activity was held from November 22 to 23 at Sitio Mantay, Barangay Monteclaro, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, and was attended by 43 IP leaders of the nine Mangyan Tribes coming from the different municipalities of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro.
During the activity, the leaders of the indigenous people communities of the two provinces of Mindoro have united to put an end to the exploitation and harassment perpetrated by the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee against them. During the culmination of the activity, the leaders of the Mangyan tribes signed a "Panata ng Kapayapaan" on a printed tarpaulin. The signed document stated that as leaders of their tribe, they will give their full cooperation to ensure that the government's peace initiatives are realized to put an end to insurgency and terrorism on the island.
Aside from the IP leaders, also present during the occasion were Brigadier General Jose Augusto V Villareal the commander of 203rd Brigade, Mr. Reynante Luna, Field Officer of NCIP Oriental Mindoro, Mr. Noe Raul Zoleta, District Head of NCIP San Jose Occidental, Mindoro, Lieutenant Colonel Jeriko Roman P Sasing the commanding officer of 4th Infantry Battalion, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Mithcelle Deligerio the Deputy Provincial Director for Administration of Occidental Mindoro.
Last November 23, 2021, as the IP summit was about to end, an encounter between our government's forces and the NPA rebels belonging to the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee ensued. The encounter was a result of the information given by the IPs regarding the presence of CTGs in the area, which led to the successful encounter of the government troops that morning.
The said encounter led to the recovery of one shotgun with two magazines and ammunition; five IEDs; M14 and M16 ammunition; two commercial radios; three cellular phones; one trigger mechanism for M14 rifle; one magazine of caliber .40 pistol; one magazine for caliber .45 pistol; wires and detonators, other personal belongings and subversive documents.
Major General Rowen S Tolentino the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division expressed not only his joy but also his appreciation to the IP leaders who instigated the peace summit and said "Sa atin pong mga iginagalang na mga pinuno ng ating katutubong kominidad, salamat po sa inyong patugon sa panawagan ng ating pamahalaan para sa kapayapaan. Nawa'y magpatuloy pa po tayong magkaisa para wakasan na ang panlilinlang at pang-aabuso ng CPP NPA na terorista sa inyong mga tribu upang makamit natin ang kapayapaan sa ating bayan".