THE Visayas Command (Viscom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has announced that 156 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have been neutralized between Jan. 1, 2023 and June 30.
The military also seized 223 firearms and 82 anti-personnel mines during the same period.
Among those neutralized were 12 high-value individuals, one of whom was identified as Rogelio Posadas, the noted secretary of the Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor Regional Committee.
Posadas was killed in an encounter last April 20 in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental.
“I would like to congratulate everyone for a very good job for the first semester of 2023. The exceptional performance that you have shown manifests your strong desire and motivation to serve and protect our people and end the local communist armed conflict in this part of the country,” according to Army Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo, Viscom commander.
Arevalo said 942 civilian organizations that cooperate with the military’s community program have been created.
He said they will be of great help in the Viscom’s preparations for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on Oct. 30.
“The support of our people is vital in our campaign to end the reign of terror in the region. As we sustain our focused military operations to prevent the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA from taking advantage of the upcoming Barangay and SK Elections, let us also continue engaging our people. Let us enlighten them on the evils brought by the CPP-NPA. Let us encourage them to cast their vote on someone who advocates peace and development, who values the ideals of family, and someone who can lead them to prosperity and progress. Not those who sow terror and violence and support the false ideology of the CPP-NPA,” he said. (AYB / PJB)