AFP bracing for NPA attacks in Negros

BACOLOD CITY – The military in Negros Occidental is ready to thwart attacks by New People’s Army guerrillas on sugar mills and other establishments that reject the NPA’s extortion demands.

The Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion has received reports that the NPA is also planning to attack police stations and other vital installations in the province, Lt. Col. Darrell Bañez, 62nd IB commander said yesterday.

Army troopers have been working with the local police to intensify their combat capabilities and operations, and prevent attacks by the NPA.

Meanwhile, the 303rd Infantry Brigade reiterated its invitation for the rebels to return to the fold of the law and avail themselves of the cash and livelihood assistance being offered by the government.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) is offering P15,000 and P50,000 in financial and livelihood assistance, respectively, to rebels who will surrender.

The provincial government of Negros Occidental will also give at least P300,000 for every firearm surrendered by the rebels, according to Capt. Lance Medina, acting civil military operations officer of the 303rd IB.

Rebels who surrender without firearms may receive P165,000 in cash and livelihood assistance.

The OPAPP said it would also give P50,000 to surrenderees who will yield their firearms.

Residents of Negros have pledged to give P100,000 to troopers who can effect the surrender, capture or kill in a gun battle an NPA rebel, according to Maj. Gen. Jon Aying, 3rd Infantry Division commander.

The NPA earlier denounced the military’s bounty hunting in Negros, saying it will worsen cases of human rights violations.

1 nabbed, 9 surrender

In Quezon, an alleged former NPA leader in Southern Tagalog was arrested by a joint team of the police and military on Tuesday night.

Rolando Carandang, alias Ka Michael, was collared in his hideout in Barangay Talisan, San Andres at around 11:30 p.m., according to Senior Superintendent Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police director.

Carandang, who had been hiding for three years, was tagged in several killings in the region.

Meanwhile, in Maguindanao, nine NPA guerrillas including an alleged bomb expert have surrendered to the military in Senator Ninoy Aquino town.

The surrenderees belong to the Guerrilla Front 73 of the NPA, according to Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, chief of the 33rd IB.

The Army said the rebels yielded six improvised explosive devices and medical equipment.