Thursday, July 17, 2008 Additional forces to be deployed in Negros Oriental
TOP army and police officials of the province said they are expecting additional forces in order to combat the heightening "war" with the underground New People's Army (NPA).
Negros Oriental provincial police director Augusto Marquez Jr. said 15 additional police officers arrived recently and are assigned at the provincial command.
"This is aside from the expected 65 police officers to be assigned in the province," he said.
Marquez admitted that aside from the rising insurgency, petty crimes in Dumaguete City still abounds. He however believes that such is not due to lack of forces but on the management style.
According to him, the additional police forces will also be distributed tom other towns and cities to counter the heightening insurgency problem.
He said all police stations are still under "heightened alert" in order to thwart possible attacked from the underground members of the NPA.
The police director said the NPA has no enough force or manpower to attack police stations, but he added it is much better that the lawmen are always ready.
The police force in the province serves also as a complimenting arm of the Philippine Army, which includes conducting checkpoints whenever there are encounters in the hinterlands.
Aside from the two company-size Provincial Mobile Group (PMG), which will be sent to the province, another Regional Mobile Group (RMG) group will arrive anytime this month.
Marquez said RMG members augment the military in its counter insurgency campaign.
He said that wherever there are sightings of members of the NPA, the RMG will be sent. (EBS)
