Province now dev't-ready: Armed conflicts in NegOr tamed

CEBU, Philippines - Wednesday's arrest of a rebel group's high-ranking official is seen to further reinforce what officials have already claimed — that armed conflicts in Negros Oriental are now manageable and the province ready for development.

Lieutenant Jim Alagao, spokesperson at the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command, said insurgency still exists in the area, although now controllable.

His statement concurred with earlier pronouncements made by Negros Oriental officials calling the province "conflict-manageable and development-ready." The term has been coined in reference to insurgency reduction to an insignificant level such that the civilian government will now take the lead in addressing issues and concerns related to it.

"Mura na lang gud na sila og mga simple entity o normal thieves," Alagao said in a phone interview. "We can now neutralize other leaders of the group."

Back on Wednesday, Roy Erecre, secretary of the Central Visayas Regional Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army, and his girlfriend Judith Jaronniog, were arrested in Davao City, said Centcom's deputy commander Brigadier General Romeo Labador.

Authorities composed of the Eastern Mindanao Command, Criminal Investigation and Detective Group-11, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Davao police. They were armed with several warrants of arrest issued by the regional trial courts in Bohol and Cebu when suspects were arrested.

Among the charges were atrocities against civilians and government forces in Bohol, as well as multiple murder for allegedly leading the ambush of a military troop also in Bohol that killed two officers.

Meanwhile, the  term "conflict-manageable and development-ready" has been coined in reference to the reduction of the insurgency problem in the province to an insignificant level such that the civilian government will now take the lead in addressing issues and concerns related to it.

Incidentally, prior to the declaration, the 302nd Brigade recorded at least three armed encounters with the NPA while preparations were undertaken for the May 7 declaration of Negros Oriental as a "conflict-manageable and development-ready province"

Meanwhile, two members of the NPA surrendered to authorities the other day.

Myrna Romero, 42, and Merlita Botilla, 43, both from northern towns of Cebu, decided to surrender after they realized they could not improve their lives being rebels.

"Kami naningkamot para sa among kawsa unya ang among mga labaw nagpaharuhay lang nga kami matog sa yuta unya magsalig pa og kaon sa masa… wala gyud mi makuha," said Romero who was platoon commander.

Botilla also claimed the same, saying she wasted too much time of being a rebel.

"Karon nalipay nako kay naka-eskwela na og tarong akong mga anak bisan og mamaligya lang ko'g ice cream sa dalan nga mao ray among panginabuhian," she said. /JMD (FREEMAN)