Bacolod City – Amid stepped up terror activities of local New People’s Army rebels, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson over-the-weekend pushed for the implementation of more ELCAC (Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict) activities, to entice their followers to surrender and abandon the armed struggle.
While the “hardcore” leaders of the NPA will not heed to our appeal to surrender, Lacson said the focus should be on their followers.
The recent terror activities of the rebel remnants in northern Negros have claimed the life of a policeman who was among those responding to investigate the summary execution of two civilians on August 9 in Sitio Icogan, Brgy. Minapasuk, Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
“We cannot allow this to continue,” said Lacson, the guest of honor and speaker on the 122nd Police Service Anniversary held at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City.
This is a challenge to men and women in uniform, either PNP or Philippine Army, he added.
Through ELCAC, we have proven that those surrendered were given a new opportunity to start all over again, with some of them integrated into the PNP, CAFGU and Philippine Army, the governor said.
The Police Regional Office 6 and the 79th Infantry Battalion condemned the senseless killings of civilians by NPA remnants, as well as the murder of PCpl. Jaime Nuñez, who was shot in the head by the rebel ambushers to ensure his death, following a landmine attack and ambush.
Two other personnel of the Calatrava Police Station were injured in the ambush.
The NPA Roselyn Jean Pelle Command has claimed responsibility for the ambush of Calatrava policemen.
While the staging of rebel ambush was not the first time in Negros Occidental, Lacson said it is not yet rampant, as he called on authorities to be vigilant against NPA terror attacks. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)
