THE military accuses the New People’s Army rebels of allegedly violating the suspension of military operation amid the threat of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Lieutenant Colonel Melvin Flores, Commanding Officer of 62nd Infantry (Unifier) Battalion reported the alleged NPA harassment of Cafgu Active Auxiliary Detachment in Brgy Sandayao, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on March 19, a day after President Rodrigo R Duterte has directed the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) together with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to stop offensive operations against armed communist rebels in order to focus on efforts to contain the corona virus pandemic or the Covid-19.
The unilateral declaration was strictly observed by the AFP down to its detachment, Flores said.
The military official said, Communist-NPA under “Leonardo Panaligan Command” launched a desperate harassment that lasted for about two minutes.
The troops were able to manage the exchange of fire and thwarted their hostile action. The perpetrators withdrawn towards Sitio Palinion of the same barangay. There is no reported casualty on the government side.
Flores said despite the government’s declaration of the Unilateral Ceasefire and sincere effort to help in resolving the pandemic problem the atrocity made by the Communist-NPA-Terrorist did not contribute anything to help the people of Negros and just worsens the situation.
“This desperate and nonsense act is a clear manifestation of the Communist Terrorist Group’s insincerity to peace, desire to inflict casualties, and sow terror in Negros Island,” Flores added. (TDE)