Army goes to inner barangays, asks rebels to come down
BACOLOD CITY — In an effort to give armed rebels in the province a chance to go in the way of peace, the 303rd Brigade is currently intensifying its efforts to reach out to inner barangays to offer the government’s development program.
Brigade Civil Military Officer Major Nathaniel Villasor said through their Insurgency Awareness Symposium (IAS), rebels are given the rights options that they may want to take in going into the mainstream society.
He said five suspected rebels surrendered last months in their office and is now under verification as to their claims.
Five IAS have already been conducted by Army under his supervision, while other battalions- 11th Infantry Batallion, 62 Infantry Batallion are also doing their respective campaigns.
Furthermore, the Army is handling three radio programs in Bacolod City that complement their anti-insurgency goals. These programs are conducted at DYHB every Sunday 1-2pm, DYWB every Sunday 6 to 7pm and DYAF every Thursday 10-11am.
“We are on track in our efforts to bring about peace and order in Negros,” he told PIA in a telephone interview.
Recently, the government’s aim of ending the New Peoples Army (NPA) atrocities by 2010 gained momentum with the surrender of 13 regular fighters of the NPA in Northern Mindanao to Col. Cresente Maligmat, Commanding Officer of the Army’s 23rd Infatry Batallion in Malaybalay Bukidnon.
They also gave up more than ten high powered arms and live ammunitions to the authorities.
Last July 11, Deputy Presidential Adviser Pedro Ramobanga reported to the media here that the government has extended a total of P7 million as financial assistance to 351 rebels through the Office of the Presidential Affairs on the Peace Process (OPAP). (PIA-LOL)