THE Philippine Army in Negros Occidental welcomed the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to deploy more troops in Samar, Bicol and Negros regions to address lawless violence in these areas.
Colonel Benedict Arevalo, commanding officer of 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Murcia town, said on Friday, November 23, it is a welcome development for them.
He considered it as a good news.
READ: More troops sent to Bicol, Samar, Negros to suppress 'lawless violence'
Arevalo said they will just wait for the actual orders of the higher headquarters as to when and what units will be redeployed.
"We will be happy to receive the troops when they are deployed in Negros," he added.
On October 20, nine farmers - members of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) - were brutally murdered at Hacienda Nene in Bulanon village, Sagay City, Negros Occidental.
Authorities believed that the said killings were allegedly perpetrated by the New People's Army (NPA).
Two NFSW alleged recruiters and seven John Does were charged with multiple murder behind the killings.
It was followed by another incident, wherein human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos Jr., founding member of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) and secretary-general of its Negros chapter, was gunned down by two motorcycle-riding assailants in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on November 6.
Progressive groups claimed that Ramos's death was allegedly perpetrated by the state forces because of the lawyer's profession.
Recently, they even tagged two intelligence officers of the AFP, who were seen tailing the convoy of NUPL and Karapatan-Negros from Bacolod City to the wake of Ramos in Sipalay City on November 17, as "persons of interest" in Ramos' death.
On November 16, military troopers engaged in a firefight with suspected rebels at Barangay Washington, Escalante City, which resulted in the reported deaths of two NPA members.
Michael Dela Concepcion, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Negros, said the memorandum is an expression of the de facto martial law rule, for the said provinces.
Such a militaristic step will only worsen the human rights conditions, he added.
"Recently, in Barangay Washington, Escalante City, military falsely claimed that they had a gun battle against NPA. But nobody can prove it," he said.
Bayan rallies the Filipino people to fight draconian rule, and any attempt to undermine the democracy and human rights, he said.
In a statement, Karapatan-Negros Island said, the order of the President “poses more danger and massive human rights violations.”
Series of killings and human rights violations happening in Negros is first and foremost perpetrated by the state, state agents and forces, they also said.
“It is dangerous, as it would intensify military operations victimizing peasant communities, harassment, threats and killings of known leaders, lawyers and members of progressive organizations,” the group said.
“This order preludes the declaration of the martial law, Duterte’s bucket list, which will pave the way to his ambition of becoming a great dictator,” the group added.
“We call on the Filipino people to unite and fight against this tyrannical rule and dictatorship of the Duterte regime,” they said.
Duterte has issued Memorandum Order (MO) 32, directing the immediate deployment of troops to the said localities in an effort to thwart lawless violence and acts of terror in these areas.
The memorandum was signed by Executive Salvador Medialdea, by order of the President, on Thursday, November 22.
A copy of the said order was released by Malacañang on Friday, November 23. (with reports from SunStar Philippines)