Army sends troops from Negros to beef up forces vs NPA in Eastern Visayas

From Rappler (Jun 6, 2024): Army sends troops from Negros to beef up forces vs NPA in Eastern Visayas (By JAZMIN BONIFACIO)

Troops from the Negros provinces are deployed to Eastern Visayas to serve under the Joint Task Force Storm and the 8th Infantry Division

TACLOBAN, Philippines – The Army has sent more soldiers and firepower to Samar to enhance the military’s capabilities to fight the New People’s Army (NPA) in Eastern Visayas.

Army Captain Jefferson Mariano, public affairs chief of the 8th Infantry Division, said the additional forces and firepower came from the artillery regiment of the Philippine Army.

Mariano said on Wednesday, June 6, that the additional troops have been sent from the Negros provinces and have been stationed in the Eastern Visayas region since May 31, serving under the Joint Task Force Storm and the 8th ID.

He said the group would operate directly under the Army’s 803rd Infantry Brigade, the primary military unit fighting an NPA rebel group in Northern Samar.

“The deployment will bolster the existing firepower capabilities towards the total eradication of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army,” Mariano said.

Major General Camilo Ligayo, 8th ID commander, said the deployment was part of efforts to sustain the government’s campaign against communist rebels to achieve peace, stability, and socio-economic progress in the region.

“We are making significant progress against the insurgency,” Ligayo said, adding that the military was working harder to end the communist rebellion in Eastern Visayas.

In March, authorities announced that government forces had dismantled two NPA units operating in Leyte, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Samar, and Eastern Samar.

https://www.rappler.com/philippines/visayas/army-sends-negros-troops-against-npa-eastern-visayas/