Viscom vows no cessation in ops vs. peace spoilers

From the Philippine News Agency (May 22, 2023): Viscom vows no cessation in ops vs. peace spoilers (By John Rey Saavedra and Sarwell Meniano)

The headquarters of the Visayas Command in Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City. (PNA file photo)

CEBU CITY – The Visayas Command (Viscom) on Monday warned peace spoilers that their days of sowing fear and terror in Visayan communities are numbered as focused military operations will never stop until they surrender or get neutralized.

“This is never going to stop. We cannot allow these peace spoilers to further sow fear and terror, as our operations will continue without any letup. We will continue to push with our focused military operation and push harder until justice is served for the atrocities that the terrorist group has committed on our people,” Viscom chief Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, said in a statement.

Arevalo said the Armed Forces of the Philippines is determined to end local communist armed conflict in the Visayas soonest.

Arevalo’s statement came as 10 New People’s Army rebels were killed, one surrendered, and another one was arrested in Negros Island in just two days of operations.

On Sunday afternoon, a rebel was killed after an encounter with the members of the 15th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Caliling, Cauayan, Negros Occidental.

On Saturday also, five NPA rebels were killed in three clashes between the members of the 62nd Infantry Battalion and the weakened guerrilla front Central Negros 1 (CN1) of the Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor (KR NCBS) at the different sitios in Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental.

The encounters in Moises Padilla were followed by another clash in the early morning on Sunday where four NPA rebels were killed, one was apprehended and another surrendered in Sitio Cambawgon, Barangay Trinidad in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

“Our call for peace continues. The door of opportunity for you to return to the folds of the law remains open as we don't want more lives to be wasted,” Arevalo said, as he urged remaining members of the weakened guerrilla fronts in the Visayas to give up and surrender.

As he commended the troops for their efforts in pursuing the peace spoilers, Arevalo said the AFP’s sustained focused military operations proved to be successful against the communist insurgency in the Visayas.

Meanwhile, Gandara town mayor Warren Aguilar in Samar province has called on the remaining fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender following a recent clash between government forces and rebels in their town.

In a statement Monday, Aguilar said the local government is ready to assist rebels who will surrender to authorities.

“Through our Local Social Integration Program and Enhanced Local Social Integration Program, we are ready to receive all rebels who will return to the folds of law,” he said.

The mayor issued the statement days after a clash between government troopers and 10 armed rebels in upland Mabuhay village in Gandara town on May 17 where a Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle, two M16 rifle magazines and a backpack with personal belongings were recovered.

Gandara, a second-class town in Samar province has a population of over 35,000, is located 152 kilometers north of Tacloban City, the province’s capital.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1201956