• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Two more New People’s Army (NPA) guerilla fronts in Negros Island have been declared as dismantled by the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), as their remnants are now on the run due to relentless focused military operations.
Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, public affairs head of 3ID, said on Sunday that the Central Negros 1 and 2, also known as the Leonardo Panaligan Command and Mt. Cansermon Command, respectively, under the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor (KR-NCBS), have been added to the list of NPA guerilla fronts already dismantled.
On Dec. 6 and 7, Army soldiers figured in separate clashes with remnants of CN 1 and CN 2 in Barangay Amontay, Binalbagan and Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, all in Negros Occidental, that led to death of Red fighter Braulio Tobalado, and recovery of several high-powered firearms.
Dismantled earlier by the 3ID infantry units in Negros Island were the Northern Negros Front and South East Front of KR-NCBS, Bohol Party Committee in Bohol, and the Eastern Front of Komiteng Rehiyonal Panay.
Javines said the remaining guerilla front in Negros Island, the South West Front, has already been classified as “weakened guerilla front”.
Among the parameters in declaring a guerilla front dismantled include reduction of the armed group into a squad-sized unit, with less than 10 members; no insurgency barangay affectation; winning back the sympathy of NPA sectoral groups; and institutionalization of barangay defense system.
Javines, however, said that the dismantling of a guerilla front does not end their campaign, as they will continue to run after the rebel remnants, and prevent them from recovering their lost territories and supporters.
The Central and Southern Fronts of Komiteng Rehiyonal Panay were also classified as “weakened” guerilla fronts by the 3ID.
On Dec. 9, a suspected NPA member also died in two encounters with troops of the 31st Division Reconnaissance Company in Sitio Tagbakan 1, Barangay Jayubo, Lambunao, Iloilo.
Army soldiers recovered an M16 assault rifle with five magazines containing ammunition and a homemade 12-gauge shotgun.
During his recent visit to Jamindan, Capiz, Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido recognized the efforts of 303rd Infantry Brigade under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, and its infantry battalions in their campaign to end the insurgency in Negros Island.
Edralin received two major engagement streamers and two bayanihan streamer awards in recognition of the dismantling of KR-NCBS guerilla fronts in Negros Island.
Meanwhile, policemen assisted by the Philippine Army served the arrest warrant for murder against Mary Grace Delicano, alias Mary Grace Delicano Sumayang, 50, former secretary of Central Negros 2 of KR-NCBS, in Bago City, Negros Occidental, on Dec. 9.
Delicano, who faces murder charges and denied bail by Bohol Regional Trial Court Judge Jorge Espinal, is now detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Bago City. | GB
