The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in Western Visayas has declared Negros Occidental under a state of stable internal peace and security (Sips) during its 1st quarter meeting in Bago City on Monday, March 25.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, chair of the RPOC, said that declaration will have a counterpart declaration for neighboring Negros Oriental.
"The declaration will not mean that the military will leave the island. They will still be around," Lacson said.
He added, “It really means that the campaign of our military is gaining ground.”
Lacson said they will be submitting the resolution declaring Negros Occidental under Sips to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who will formally make a formal declaration.
"The region will then invite the President to come to Negros and declare both provinces under Sips," he added.
They will try to submit it to Malacañang by April or May, Lacson said.
Provinces declared in a state of Sips are considered cleared and unaffected by communist insurgents and relatively peaceful.
Early this month, the provincial joint peace and security coordinating council composed of the Army, Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Coast Guard made the recommendation for the Sips.
According to the Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), all five guerrilla fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) in Negros Island were dismantled.
These include the Central Negros 1, Central Negros 2, South East Front, Northern Negros Front, and South West Front.*