PRO-7 trains eyes on Negros rebels

After the formal turnover of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office back to the administration of Region 7 on Monday, Senior Superintendent Jonathan Cabal, Police Regional Office 7- Intelligence Division chief, said they will intensify internal security operations in the island.

He said the regional office will focus on the insurgency situation in Negros Oriental following the death of several policemen in an ambush by suspected rebels in Guihulngan City last July.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed last August 7 Executive Order No. 38 that dissolved the newly-formed Negros Island Region (NIR), to which NOPPO belonged.

“So our Regional director deemed it necessary to step-up iyong ating operations…. Yong NIR, previously does not have a problem with CPPNPA. However, dahil duon nga sa nangyari sa Guihulngan…active yung NPA doon sa Negros Island Region,” said Cabal. CPP-NPA refers to the separatist Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing the New People's Army.

Last July 21, seven, including six police officers, were killed while Guihulngan City Councilor Edison dela Rita was injured after an ambush by suspected NPA cadres in Sitio Mandi-e, Barangay Magsaysay, Guihulngan.

Cabal said the marching orders of the PRO-7 Director Jose Mario Espino were for his men to really intensify the fight against the rebels and to also reach out to the community.

“We hope that the community in NIR, now that they are under the jurisdiction of our RD, will also cooperate in this effort,” he said.

For this purpose, PRO-7 is also coordinating with the AFP in Negros.