PA's 8th ID reports major gains vs. NPAs

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 16): PA's 8th ID reports major gains vs. NPAs

The Philippine Army's Catbalogan-based 8th Infantry Division reported that it posted significant gains versus the New People's Army (NPA) rebels operating in Eastern Visayas during the first quarter of 2014.

Maj. Gen. Jet B. Velarmino, 8th ID commander, said that in the first three months of the year, the rebels suffered blows in all fronts.

On manpower, 26 fighters surrendered, seven were arrested and one was killed during encounters, he added.

On the part of the 8th Infantry Division, one soldier was killed while two were wounded in action.

On firearms, government troops recovered 19 high- powered and low-powered firearms.

Government forces incurred no firearm loss during the period.

The 8th Infantry Division was also able to hand over five of the 26 towns of Samar and 10 of the 24 towns of Northern Samar to their local government units as manageable conflict-affected and development-ready (MCADR) areas, a manifestation that the NPA rebels had lost their influence in the 15 towns.

The provinces of Samar and Northern Samar in their entirety are scheduled to be handed over by the 8th Infantry Division to their respective provincial peace and order councils in June 2014 and December 2014, respectively, as MCADR areas.

In their desperate attempt to offset their setbacks, the rebels resorted to killing innocent people, compounding their violations against people’s rights.

During the period, they perpetrated murders against four innocent and hapless civilians.

These commissions of heinous crimes by the NPA rebels will further alienate them from the people who already resent their extortion activities, Velarmino said.

“As the timeline of 8th Infantry Division to accomplish its mission to create an environment conducive to peace and development for the whole of Eastern Visayas is nearing, we expect strong resistance from the rebels to defend their dwindling strongholds. But the rebels will not be able to stop the inevitable,” he added.

“In the coming months, we will press on with the fight but we welcome peaceful resolution to this armed conflict being waged by the NPA rebels. To preempt violence, we invite all stakeholders to get involved in winning the peace by pressuring the rebels to return to the mainstream and to abandon armed struggle. We all need peace for the security and well-being of our people and sustainable development in the region,” he stressed.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=635853