• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID) has declared there are no more active New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla fronts in Negros Island.
Even so, Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, 3ID commander, said the Philippine Army will remain in the newly-established region as the Armed Forces of the Philippines is transitioning to providing external security.
At present, there are two infantry brigades stationed in Negros Island, which supervise the six battalions.
Samson said they are relentlessly putting pressure on the NPA remnants to push them to return to the fold of the law.
“We are making their lives miserable in the mountains to make them realize that fighting the government with arms is futile and useless,” he added.
On Aug. 27, Samson installed Brig. Gen. Jason Jumawan as the new commander of 302nd Infantry Brigade stationed in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental.
Jumawan succeeded Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, who has been designated as assistant division commander of 3ID.
During his stint as the commanding officer, Escanillas led the brigade in dismantling the NPA’s South West Front and Regional Strike Force and initiated 29 encounters in Negros and Bohol, which led to the neutralization of 35 rebels, including five NPA top officials.
Since 2023, 65 high-powered and low-powered firearms as well as 15 anti-personnel mines were recovered. | GB
