• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The strength of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) continues to dwindle, and its legal fronts are now sending reinforcements to the countryside, a top Army commander in Visayas revealed yesterday.
Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said that they noted the arrival of CPP-NPA legal front members from the national level to Negros Island, following series of debacles suffered by the NPA, which has now 20 remaining armed members in central and northern Negros.
While he did not elaborate, Sison said the military would always be on its feet.
“We have to sustain our gains and continue our pressure against the NPA,” Sison said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Sison yesterday installed Lt. Col. Magno Mapalad as the new commander of the 47th Infantry Battalion in Mabinay, Negros Oriental, a day after he also presided over the 79IB change of leadership, from Lt. Col. J Jay Javines to Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.
“We have a very tall order for this year to dismantle all the existing guerilla fronts here in Negros,” Sison said.
The 3ID has already declared to have dismantled the Northern and South East Fronts of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, and categorized as “weakened” the Central Negros 1 and 2, as well as the South West Front, where the 47IB is now operating.
Sison also reiterated the importance of the stakeholders’ role in a whole-of-nation approach to “decimate the CPP-NPA-NDF.”* with PNA report
