Army braces for NPA anniversary

From the Visayan Daily Star (Mar 7): Army braces for NPA anniversary

The Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion in northern Negros is not taking chances even if there are still three weeks before the 45th founding anniversary of the New People’s Army on March 29.

Lt. Col. Efren Morados, 62IB commander, said yesterday that it has been a practice of the NPA to launch tactical offensives to mark their founding anniversary.

The recent attack on a temporary military outpost of Army’s Bayanihan Team in Sitio Aniya, Brgy. Winaswasan, Calatrava, claimed the life of an alleged NPA member, whose body was left in a sugarcane field by his fleeing comrades, military records show.

The 62IB deployed Army Bayanihan teams in 11 hinterland barangays of Escalante City, Toboso and Calatrava, to work closely with government agencies, non-government and people’s organizations, and bring basic services to the people.

Morados denied accusations that they are forcing residents of the hinterland areas of Escalante City, Toboso and Calatrava to surrender, and dismissing there as desperate attempt of the NPA to win back their supporters in their areas who have renounced violence.

He claimed that it is now the people, who are driving out the NPA from their areas.
Without the support of the people in the hinterlands, Morados said the NPA is facing difficulty of acquiring logistical requirements, in the areas where they used to operate.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/March/07/topstory9.htm