Military sees rebel fronts in central Negros crushed by yearend

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY — The Philippine Army expects to neutralize two Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) fronts in central Negros before the year ends.

Colonel Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, on Wednesday, June 14, said they were very optimistic that with the cooperation and assistance of residents, and the national and local governments, central Negros would be cleared of insurgents.

Edralin called on fleeing communist rebels to surrender and avail themselves of government assistance so they could return to normal lives or suffer the same fate as their comrades.

The Army, he said, would be relentless in pursuing the remaining rebels until the last one is neutralized.

During a Regional Peace and Order Council meeting on Wednesday chaired by Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson in this city, 14 former rebels from Isabela, Cauayan, Toboso, and Escalante City in Negros Occidental, and Ayungon in Negros Oriental were given P1,054,000 in assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program, and food packs.

Each of the former rebels were given P15,000 for immediate assistance, P50,000 for livelihood, and P21,000 for reintegration.

“We are calling on active rebels to come down and live more peaceful lives. Nobody wins in a war,” Lacson said.

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