Army’s 3rd ID reports NPA attempts to regain foothold in Cebu, Bohol

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division has tightened its grip of Negros and Panay to isolate each of these islands, and deny the chance of the New People’s Army to support each other, following reports that they are transferring from one island to another in the Visayas.

Major General Jon Aying, 3rd ID commander, said that Panay and Negros islands are potentials for the NPA and its allied groups to resurrect their presence in Cebu and Bohol provinces, which have been insurgency-free for more than a decade now.

"They (NPA) are struggling, but they are doing it," Aying said. "That is what we are trying to do also because we want Cebu and Bohol to be vigilant, to prevent the resurgence of the communist movement there."

There were reports that the NPA rebels, who were responsible for the ambush of six policemen and a civilian, as well as inflicting injuries to three others policemen in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, last month, fled to Bohol, to avoid military operations of the combined forces of the 303rd Infantry Brigade and the Philippine National Police.

Aying said the NPA, he estimated to have been more than 200 armed fighters in Negros Island Region, remains the imminent threat to peace and order in the Visayas, for now, despite threats from other terror groups.

“That is why we do current operations against the NPA,” said Aying on his Friday briefing with members of the different sugar planters organizations of NIR security.

"But, at the same time, we are working on creating, establishing, sustaining and improving the peace and security resiliency infrastructures against possible spillover or attacks by the ISIS-inspired terrorist groups," he added.

Aying said the operations against the NPA is a continuing process. While the military have yet to pinpoint the rebels' exact location, Aying said he is optimistic that they will get them soon. He however admitted that the NPA managed to consolidate its forces during the peace talks period.

The 3rd ID, with three of its Army battalions currently deployed in Mindanao to help the fight against terrorist groups there, is presently maximizing the use of remaining forces in Negros and Panay. Its area of jurisdiction covers 10 provinces of Western and Central Visayas, as well as the NIR.

The Negros Occidental provincial government recently allocated P21.2-million budget for the projects and activities of Task Force Buglas, which was organized through an executive order by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. to address the threat of terrorism, among other peace and security-related concerns.

Aying enlisted the help of sugar farmers in Negros island against violent extremism, adding that they could be also part of the community information networks by providing early warning, and also responders in cases of disaster, calamities and emergencies.

He underscored the vital role of communities in preventing lawlessness. “If we are active and prompt in the delivery of information, we can have a good prevention and deterrence against lawlessness, rather than wait to become victims, followed by disasters,” Aying said.