Police, Army in Negros coordinate deployment of troops as NPA lifts ceasefire

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 3): Police, Army in Negros coordinate deployment of troops as NPA lifts ceasefire

The police and the military in Negros Island Region (NIR) are coordinating the deployment of troops across the region after the New People’s Army (NPA) announced the lifting of its unilateral ceasefire on February 10.

Senior Superintendent Mariano Natu-el Jr., Deputy Regional Director for Operations of Police Regional Office (PRO)-18, said as of Friday, he spearheaded the accounting of regional police personnel as part of their response.

The police in Negros is in a battle mode as stations all over the region were ordered to remain vigilant, he added.

Natu-el said the PRO-18 is working with the Philippine Army for augmentation and deployment of troops.

Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP), called unfortunate the NPA’s termination of the unilateral ceasefire it declared last year.

Carlos said despite this development and its possible implications to internal security, the PNP will continue to observe the suspension of offensive police operations to honor the Philippine government’s own declaration of a unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army/National Democratic Front.

Brigadier General Francisco Delfin, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia, Negros Occidental, said troops were directed to reinforce detachments and police stations especially those in “vulnerable areas” as of Friday.

Delfin added that the Army will also conduct security patrols in critical areas.

Troops were authorized to engage if they encounter rebels, he further said.

Colonel Edgard Arevalo, Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office, said the AFP will continue to safeguard the communities from criminal acts of extortion, burning of vehicles, farm and livelihood implements and other forms of criminal and atrocious acts, whoever is the perpetrator.

“We will continue to perform peace-building and development efforts where the people in conflict areas request us to. We will continue to capacitate local government to deliver basic goods and services to their constituents,” he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=960812