Army to sustain gains vs. insurgency in Negros
The new commander of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) vowed to sustain the gains in the antiinsurgency campaign on Negros Island, as he called on those still in the armed struggle to surrender.
“My first standing order is to sustain the gains in our operations, which should be intelligencedriven along with civil military operations and focused on military operations,” 303IBde commander Colonel Orlando Edralin told reporters after assuming his post in rites held at Camp Gerona in Negros Occidental’s Murcia town on Tuesday, January 31.
He said these are very important to ensure that the troops will not violate human rights and will follow the rule of the law.
“We don’t want war. We really want to invite the remaining communist terrorist group members in our area to surrender,” he added.
Edralin said members of the New People’s Army that already surrendered have availed government programs and interventions from both the national and local governments, and have been given a new lease on life together with their families.
He emphasized the role of various national government agencies under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, which is the whole-of-nation approach to attaining inclusive and sustainable peace.
“Lives are more important than our accomplishments. We put a premium on that. We are always praying that peace and progress will continue by utilizing collaboration and cooperation,” he said.
The 303IBde supervises three line battalions on Negros Island, including the 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Sagay City, and the 62IB in Isabela town, both in Negros Occidental; and the 94IB in Negros Oriental’s Ayungon town.
Edralin, who succeeded Colonel Michael Samson, had served as the deputy brigade commander of the 301IB for four years since 2018.