Army's next target: Topple NPA in Panay

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division has declared an intensified campaign against insurgency in Panay Island and is optimistic it can neutralize forces of the New People's Army in the next few months.

Brigadier Gen. Aurelio Baladad, 3ID commander, said that aside from Panay, the division also covers Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.

"Our aim to make the NPA negligible in Negros Oriental is nearly reached. Pero hindi pwedeng pagsabay-sabayin 'yan so after Negros Oriental, which we expect to be finished this year, we will focus on Panay," he said.

Recent assessment said there are 416 armed NPAs in Negros and Panay islands.

This waning number, Baladad said, is a manifestation of how intense the Armed Forces of the Philippines' flagship program, Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) or the Oplan Bayanihan, is carried out.

"For the last two months, we had 13 armed engagements with the NPA. Ang importante kasi dito ay nahinto natin yung masama nilang balak na paninira ng gamit. Ang paghihinto nila ng kaunlaran. Ito yung napigil natin dito," he said.

As a result of the series of encounters, government troops seized 10 firearms and three low-powered firearms and arrested 12 NPA rebels, one of whom was killed while another was wounded.

A few months ago, the 3ID has projected that the NPA's strength in Panay and Negros islands is down by 55 percent. This is reportedly manifested by the number of rebels surrendering to government and the arrest of NPA leaders and combatants in Western Visayas.  (FREEMAN)