The new commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade said the Army will encourage Communist rebels in Negros to give peace a chance through local dialogs.
Col. Michael Samson, 303rd IB acting commander, said on Thursday, January 5, that they believe there is a vacuum in the Communist Party of the Philippines leadership with the death of Jose Maria Sison and they will take advantage of the situation.
They are calling for local dialogs because the issues at hand are local, Samson said, pointing out that they have been informed that a lot of the rebels want to return to folds of the law.
They hope to solve the insurgency problem through peaceful means, he said.
However, “for those who insist on using violence, there is no other option for us but to respond with military action”, Samson said.
The Army will not welcome rebels from other areas who come to Negros, he added.*