NDF in Eastern Visayas belittles Army claim insurgency controlled

TACLOBAN CITY –– The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas (NDF-EV) has downplayed claims by the military that the insurgency problem had been contained in the region.

In a statement, Fr. Santiago Salas, NDF-EV spokesperson, said the goal of the Army’s current chief in Region 8, Major General Pio Diñoso III, would fail just like the previous campaigns waged by his predecessors.

“Diñoso resorts to warmongering and under the whole-of-nation approach, calls for the continuation of widespread killings, harassment and threats, misinformation against the people, and coercion of local government officials to support their counter-insurgency efforts,” said Salas in a statement sent through email.

Diñoso, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, Samar, earlier said they were targeting to contain the insurgency in the region by 2022 when President Duterte’s six-year term ends.

As part of their campaign, he said the 8th ID would boost its air power to ensure that they could meet the 2022 target.

The 8th ID commanding general also said he would request for the return of the 19th and 34th Infantry Battalions, which were based in Mindanao.

The President had identified Eastern Visayas as one of the “priority areas” in so far as addressing the insurgency problem is concerned./lzb