“In war there are no winners so we are hoping that the situation in Himamaylan will settle down and residents can go back to their respective communities,” Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday, October 12.
The massive evacuation triggered by government and rebel clashes in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, was unexpected, he said.
The governor reiterated his appeal to the rebels to end their armed struggle, pointing out that the government has provided financial assistance to those who have returned to the folds of the law so they can resume normal lives.
Lacson said he will ask the Himamaylan City officials why Carabalan is a favorite area of the rebels, and what can be done to address the problem.
He will sit down with Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson to discuss how the provincial government can help, Lacson said.
He noted that the road network to the area is good.
Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Brigade commander, said the majority of the remaining NPA rebels in Negros Occidental are in Himamaylan.
Most of them are in Buenavista, Himamaylan, that is the biggest barangay in the whole country in terms of land area, but its upper area is not accessible, he said.
In fact livelihood projects have been started in the area with the help of the Association of Negros Producers, Pasaporte said.
Pasaporte said he has raised the need for better road access to remote areas of Buenavista with Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District) in order to improve delivery of services.*