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Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Negrenses denounce rebel atrocities
BACOLOD CITY -- While others choose to remain tight-lipped, more than a thousand residents stood firm and vocal in denouncing the atrocities committed by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).
The residents in upland barangays of Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental, held Tuesday a protest rally condemning the series of violence allegedly perpetrated by the NPAs.
The placard-bearing rallyists from different pro-democratic groups and Alsa Masa converged at the Vallehermoso town gymnasium and took turns in condemning the rebels' summary killings and extortion activities in Negros Island.
Aside from terrorizing the people, residents also accused NPAs of exploitation of children and women, even as they tagged the rebels of causing closure of some establishments.
Some participants even went as far as openly giving testimonies on atrocities abuses committed by the communist terrorists.
The mass action was also developed as priest-turned-rebel Frank Fernandez earlier said that armed struggle and tactical offensives against the military and police in Negros Island would be heightened.
Fernandez further claimed that the National Democratic Front is opening its "doors" to enlightened military and police troopers who would take part in a concerted and sustained move to oust President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Jesus Manangquil, Jr., Commanding Officer, 11th Infantry Battalion, said the march protests by Vallehermoso town residents could only indicate that they are fed up by rebel atrocities.
Military records show that at least six persons -- including a leader of the breakaway Revolutionary Proletarian Army rebel faction, three militiamen and two civilians -- died in separate assassination activities perpetrated in Central Negros for the months of January and February alone.
Nine upland barangays in Vallehermoso and Guihulngan towns in Oriental Negros, which were classified by the military as "infiltrated areas" of the CPP-NPA in central Negros, are now the focus of the Special Operations Team campaign of the 11th Infantry Battalion.
As further proof of masses' support, Manangquil said, they have received surrender feelers from active members of the NPA, which were negotiated by their family members and relatives.
"The opposition to rebel atrocities has reached the barangays", Manangquil said.
Coupled with the heightened anti-insurgency awareness campaign of the 11th IB in Oriental Negros, he revealed that they have also intensified their combat patrols in the Occidental side.
(March 15, 2006 issue)
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