It is no surprise that the Philippine Army will not be pulled-out from Negros Island after the 3rd Infantry Division “pretentiously” claimed guerrilla fronts in Negros were already dismantled, the New People Army said in a statement on Friday, February 16.
The Apolinario Gatmaitan Command-New People’s Army Negros Island Regional Operations Command (AGC-NPA) strongly belies the 3rd ID’s claim that it has “dismantled” even one guerrilla front on the island, its spokesperson e Ka Maoche Legislador said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said that the Army has assured that it will not pull out its troops from Negros despite its having dismantled the NPA guerilla fronts.
“Up to now, all five guerrilla fronts under the AGC-NPA continue to perform as the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) primary weapon in waging the protracted people’s war through extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare on the basis of an ever widening and deepening mass base in their respective areas of responsibility.” Legislador said.
“The sustained presence of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on the island bares its hogwash dismantled declaration out in the open,” he said.*