CEBU CITY, Philippines — The island provinces of Cebu and Bohol remain insurgency-free, even as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s Central Command (CentCom) continues to monitor activities of alleged rebel leaders here, a military official revealed Tuesday.

Col. John Bonafos of the Philippine Army (PA)’s 82nd Brigade covering Bohol, Cebu, Biliran, and Southern Leyte, revealed in a Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Meeting at the Social Hall of the Cebu Provincial Capitol that Cebu and Bohol - two provinces that used to infested by rebels in past years – now are virtually rid of insurgency.

Bonafos made his pronouncement as rebels raided a police station in Hinabangan town in Samar province which is not under the 82nd Brigade’s jurisdiction, early Monday. The rebels managed to outnumber six policemen on duty and carted away firearms and other police equipment.

In his presentation Tuesday, Bonafos said 2,386 combat operations were conducted by the 82nd Brigade in its areas of jurisdictions to prevent the reentry of insurgents. Cebu and Bohol have been declared insurgency-free but nearby provinces Biliran and Southern Leyte are not.

It was during Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s earlier term in office that an all-out-war had been waged against Cebu insurgents. The anti-insurgency campaign was fought in both the battlefront as well as in the civilian front, with the Cebu provincial government’s provision of financial and livelihood assistance to rebel surrenderees.

The provincial government’s livelihood assistance in exchange for guns has been proven effective in Cebu with several rebels re-joining mainstream society. Bohol followed suit and authorities are now concentrating on Negros Island where rebel activities are still rampant.

Meanwhile, RPOC 7 Chair and Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto stressed that the onset of technology has created a new wave of crimes committed through the internet.

“We need more advocacy as new crimes are coming up due to the popularity of technology,” said Chatto, who was particularly referring to cyber sex and other cyber crimes.

He said at the moment, the Bohol provincial government is without a monitoring team dedicated against the cybersex trend in the province but he gave his assurance that coordination on the matter with other local governments is now being done.

It can be recalled that several female minors from Getafe, Bohol were rescued last May by police authorities. Some of the girls during a court hearing later told a prosecutor that their new jobs would involve the “Internet” and that they only had to “face the computer” and follow instructions given by a foreigner.''

The girls are currently housed in a Department of Social Welfare and Development dormitory.