Over 300 SAF men sent to Negros amid killings

Over 300 SAF men sent to Negros amid killings

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said on Monday, July 29, that he has ordered the deployment of over 300 Special Action Force (SAF) men to Negros Island amid the spate of killings there.

Albayalde said he gave the order on Sunday, July 28.

He also said they were assessing the situation in the province to determine whether there is a need for revamp police leadership.

The death toll in Negros Oriental over the past 10 days rose to 18 on Sunday with the reported killing of Anaciancino Rosalita of Barangay Bucalan, Canlaon City. He was shot dead in the Oval Public Market in Barangay Panubigan, also in Canlaon.

“I have ordered yesterday the deployment of more than 300 Special Action Force SAF) troops to Negros Island to augment local police units in anti-criminality and internal security operations against criminal elements and dissident terrorist groups operating in the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental,” Albayalde said in a press conference in Camp Crame Monday, July 29.

The recent wave of killings started on July 18, when four police officers were executed in front of villagers of Barangay Mabato in Ayungon town, Negros Oriental by suspected members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

Since then, 14 others have been killed. Lawyer Anthony Trinidad was gunned down in Guihulngan City on July 23.

The bloodiest day for Negros Oriental in the last 10 days was on July 25, when seven people were shot and killed, including two educators and a barangay chairman in Guihulngan.

One was killed on July 26, four on July 27 and one on July 28.

Some of the victims were alleged supporters or members of the NPA.

Albayalde said the communist rebels have a “scheme” of “sacrificing” their members and then blaming the government for the killings.

“There is also that possibility na pagkapatay nung apat na pulis they were tortured and summarily executed ay there is also a scheme on the part of the CPP-NPA where they sacrifice their own para ito naman they are again blaming the government forces for alleged human rights violation saka itong mga patayan na ito always tinuturo ‘yung ating government forces,” he said.

Albayalde said the police are continuously conducting hot pursuit operations against the perpetrators of these killings.

The provincial police office earlier asked for the assistance of the military to beef up security operations in the area.

Church bells tolled at 8 p.m. Sunday to call for justice for the victims and appeal for an end to the killings. The bells will toll nightly until the killings stop, Catholic Church leaders on the island said. (SunStar Philippines)

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