Army soldiers beef up border check points

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Army forces are beefing up health and security forces manning border control operations between Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental after the governors of both provinces declared border closures to help contain the spread of the corona virus disease (COVID-19.)

While they are mainly utilized to hunt rebels in the countryside, Army soldiers are now in urban areas for border control operations.

This is in compliance with the executive orders issued by Governors Eugenio Jose Lacson of Negros Occidental and Roel Degamo of Negros Oriental.

Col. Inocencio Pasaporte, head of the Army’s 302rd Infantry Brigade, said that as members of Inter-Agency COVID-19 Border Monitoring and Regulation Task Force, “the Army and other members of the Task Force, under the leadership of the PNP, will provide support in performing the security protocols in checkpoint areas to prevent the entry of persons not allowed under the executive order.”

These checkpoints are situated along the highways at the borders of Mabinay-Kabankalan, Bayawan-Hinoba-an, San Carlos-Vallehermoso, La Castellana-Canlaon and other roads that may be used as entry points.

On March 15, Lacson issued an executive order implementing the closure of borders, including ports and airports of Negros Occidental.

The 303rd Infantry Brigade and other law enforcement agencies, in tandem with local government health personnel are manning the checkpoint areas.

Army soldiers under the supervision of the 302nd Infantry Brigade stationed in Negros Oriental are also helping as stipulated in the executive order issued by Degamo.

The two task forces have been ordered to defend the borders and diligently perform their powers and functions.

Pasaporte encouraged Negrenses to adhere to the stringent social distancing measures to help prevent the spread of the virus to other communities.