The Philippine Army expects to neutralize two Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) fronts in central Negros before the end of the year.
They are very optimistic that with the cooperation and assistance of residents, and the national and local governments, before the year ends they will be declaring the Central Negros 1 and 2 fronts as cleared, Col. Orlando D. Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said Wednesday, June 14.
Two NPA rebels were killed in a series of encounters with the with 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) soldiers in Brgy Macagahay, Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental on Tuesday.
The other rebels who figured in the encounter are believed to have been wounded based on bloodstains on the trail of their withdrawal, he said.
Nine other rebels were also killed in recent encounters in Central Negros, he said.
Edralin called on the fleeing rebels to surrender and avail of government assistance to return to normal lives, or suffer the same fate as their comrades.
Their days are numbered, he warned.
The Army will be relentless in its pursuit of the remaining rebels until the last one is neutralized, he said.
He said CN 1 is believed to have only nine members left.
During a Regional Peace and Order Council meeting chaired by Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Negros Residences in Bacolod on Wednesday, 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 immediate assistance of P15,000, livelihood assistance of P50,000 and reintegration assistance of P21,000.*