SOMO in Southern Luzon holding, says Army chief

The suspension of military operations (SOMO) of both the Armed Forces and the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in Southern Tagalog is holding, raising hopes for the release of captive Army Maj. Noel Buan.

Newly installed Army chief Lt. Gen. Jaime de los Santos said in a press conference yesterday that the Armed Forces has reminded all its field commanders to "fully implement the full extent of the SOMO and observe all provisions" of the regional truce.

Field commanders, he said, must ensure, in coordination with various agencies in their respective areas, that "peace will continue and assist in any projects of the (government peace) panel so that they can achieve the purpose."

"As of now, there are no encounters yet since the declaration of the SOMO," De los Santos said.

The Netherlands-based leaders of the National Democratic Front (NDF) earlier announced that Buan would be freed to reciprocate the government’s confidence-building measures for the resumption of peace talks. Buan has been held captive since July 1999.

The Arroyo government has released several political prisoners and promised to free more once the necessary paperwork is completed.

The government declared a SOMO covering 11 provinces in Southern Tagalog from March 12 to April 12. The NDF, for its part, declared a truce starting March 17 but in only seven provinces.

Last March 8, police Chief Inspector Abelardo Martin, Buan’s former fellow captive, was killed during what the military said was a rescue operation.

But as the truce continues to hold in Region 4, fighting erupted between communist rebels and patrolling Army troopers in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental the other day. A rebel was killed and a soldier was wounded.

Lt. Col. Danilo Servando, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Southern Command, said the soldiers chanced upon a group of rebels collecting "revolutionary taxes" in the town.

"Our troops are still in the area and we are pursuing the dissident-terrorists," he said.

The Arroyo government and the NDF agreed to resume peace negotiations on April 27, although they have yet to decide on the venue.

Peace talks bogged down when the NDF withdrew in protest of the Senate ratification of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States in May 1999.