• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The New People’s Army Apolinario Gatmaitan Command has issued a statement claiming that its five guerilla fronts remain intact, as it also dismissed the imminent declaration of placing Negros Island under a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) as a “sham.”
In a statement, rebel spokesperson Ka Maoche Legislador claimed that all five guerrilla fronts under the AGC-NPA continues to perform as the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) primary weapon in waging a protracted people’s war through extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare in Negros Island.
Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd Infantry Division commander, earlier said that the state of SIPS in Negros Island may now be formally declared by the concerned Local Chief Executives, after its conditions have been met, including dismantling of all guerilla fronts.
Sison, who supervises the internal security operations of six Army battalions in Negros Island, said the SIPS declaration in a locality will attract new investments, generate more jobs, and provide opportunities to Negrenses.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council of Western Visayas, said that the RPOC will convene on March 13 to discuss the SIPS declaration in Negros Island.
It is no surprise that reactionary state troops will not be pulled-out from Negros Island after the 3ID pretentiously claimed guerrilla fronts on Negros were already dismantled, Legislador said.
Lacson said on Wednesday that the Philippine Army will not pull out it forces in Negros, despite the dismantling of NPA guerilla fronts.
“They will see to it (that the dismantling of guerilla fronts) is really more of a permanent situation,” he added.
Legislador further alleged that “it is also natural for Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson to parrot such talk as he represents the exploiters and oppressors of Negros Island whom the mercenary 3ID serves.”*
