• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army continues its focused military operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) remnants in Negros Island with another armed engagement on Dec. 24 in Sitio Tayubong, Barangay Puso, La Castellana town.
The clash was followed by a declaration of a two-day ceasefire by the Communist Party of Philippines (CPP) in connection with its 55th founding anniversary on Dec. 26.
The brief encounter between troops of 62nd Infantry Battalion and three remnants of the Central Negros 1, also known as the Leonardo Panaligan Command, led to the recovery of a caliber .45 caliber pistol.
No one was hurt among the soldiers.
In a statement, Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said that the Army will not stop going after the NPA remnants until they are all neutralized.
“The troops will ensure the safety of everyone during this holiday season to be peaceful and happy from any threats,” Sison said.
Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, public affairs head of 3ID, said the Army in Western Visayas did not recognize the unilateral ceasefire declared by the NPA, which ended Tuesday.
“The CPP-NPA has no capability to declare a ceasefire because their forces are weak now. Declaring a ceasefire will allow the rebels a chance to recover and mobilize their remaining forces,” he added.
The Army targets to declare Negros island as “insurgency-free” on the first quarter of 2024, following the dismantling of Central Negros 1 and 2 guerilla fronts, leaving only the South West Front, which is considered as “weakened”, up for dismantling. | GB
