BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – President Duterte ordered the military to intensify operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Negros island region, after a series of atrocities committed by the communist rebels, including the killing of six policemen and a civilian in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Maj. Gen. Jon Aying, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said President Duterte gave the order when he met with military officials in the Visayas led by Lt. Gen. Oscar Lactao, AFP Central Command chief, last Thursday night in Dumaguete City.
Aying said the President told them that security operations would focus on the NPA once the military has cleared Marawi City of members of the Maute group. More than 100 soldiers and policemen have been killed since the terrorists attacked the city last May 23.
Ka Oris, spokesman of the NPA, lauded the successful rebel attacks in Negros and in other parts of the country against government forces. The rebels claimed that they recovered at least 300 firearms in the operations.
Aying said that one battalion of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division deployed in Mindanao is expected to return to Negros within one month to resume the fight against communist guerrillas.
On Thursday, Duterte conferred posthumous awards on the six police officers killed by NPA rebels.
Duterte presented the awards and P100,000 cash assistance to the relatives of the slain policemen during their wake at the Guihulngan City Hall.
The President also distributed new handguns, cell phones and medals to three injured policemen who survived the NPA ambush.
The Special Investigation Task Force headed by Senior Supt. Henry Binas, police director of Negros Oriental, is now investigating the killing of the six policemen.
Aying said police units are the main targets of recent NPA operations.
Last year, two policemen also died in an ambush in Candoni, Negros Occidental, while the lawmen were responding to a reported quarrel.
President Duterte called on Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. Sison to “come home and fight here” to show the rebel leader’s sincerity in joining his men in the frontlines.
In his Facebook account, Sison said he doesn’t need to prove to the people his “revolutionary will and courage to wage armed struggle against oppression.”
Sison said the battles he wages cannot be dictated upon by Duterte, whom he suspects is merely hoping the US and the European intelligence agencies would inform the Philippine government of his whereabouts as soon as he leaves the Netherlands, where he has been living in self exile for years.
The US and European countries have included the CPP-NPA in their list of terrorist organizations.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella claimed that the communist rebels are nothing but a bunch of ideologues turned plain criminals and extortionists.
“Mr. Sison’s remarks only highlight his apparent disconnect with their men and women on the ground who seem to have deteriorated from ideologues to plain criminals and extortionists,” Abella said in a statement.
He pointed out that Sison is living lavishly in Europe while his comrades are wounded in the mountains in their fight against the government.
“It is unfortunate he needs to be coaxed to return to his homeland, while his wounded comrades in the Philippines are left dying, only for our soldiers to rescue and accord them medical care,” said Abella.
“Mr. Sison apparently took to the soft life in Europe, leaving is comrades to fend for themselves. No wonder they are only too eager now to demand unearned portions,” he added.
New encounters
Brig. Gen. Fernando Trinidad, chief of the Army’s 903rd Infantry Brigade, said three NPA rebels were killed in a clash between troopers and guerrillas in Barangay Trece Martires, Legazpi City last Friday morning.
The slain rebels were identified as Arnel Boris of Barangay Sta. Cruz and Dick Laura of Barangay Boton, while a third rebel remained unidentified.
The military said NPA rebels have conducted 15 attacks on military units from January to June.
In Sibagat, Agusan del Sur, one communist rebel was killed after an encounter with policemen who were ambushed by the guerrillas in Barangay El Rio last Thursday afternoon.
No one was hurt among the police officers and members of the Municipal Social Welfare Development office in the ambush by the rebels.
In Pangasinan, police officials appealed to netizens not to spread fake news regarding the peace and order situation in the province after one policeman was killed when policemen clashed with NPA rebels last Friday in San Nicolas town.
Supt. Virgilio Pascua Jr., commander of Police Public Safety Company based in Tayug, Pangasinan posted a message on the police Facebook account, urging the residents of Pangasinan not to spread fake news and assured the public that the situation is under the control of local and police officials.
Pascua also said that there were rumors spreading in social media about the kidnapping of the mayor of San Quintin, Pangasinan and another hostage-taking incident at the Sta. Maria National High School in San Nicolas town that were allegedly part of the NPA propaganda to humiliate and undermine the credibility of the government.
Policemen and NPA rebels clashed last Friday morning in Barangay Sta. Maria East, San Nicolas that resulted in the death of Police Officer 2 Aries Tamondong while PO2 Jonielon Marjos Bagcal was wounded.
Pursuing troopers found bloodstains in the escape route of the rebels, indicating that some guerrillas were wounded.
Senior Supt. Ronald Lee, Pangasinan police director, said NPA rebels have been spotted in the area for two days before the encounter.
An NPA commander in the Caraga Region claimed that the government’s promise to provide jobs, housing and money to NPA rebels who would surrender is a hoax.
Ka Oto, leader of the NPA Front Committee 16, released the statement after President Duterte promised jobs, livelihood and housing to NPA rebels who would surrender. – With Christina Mendez, Celso Amo, Ben Serrano, Eva Visperas