More military troopers boost forces in Negros

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – More than 100 military troops were deployed to Negros Island to augment the existing troops of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) based in Negros Occidental.

A press release from the 303rd IBde said the troops from the 14th Civil Military Operations Battalion of the Philippine Army arrived on Wednesday at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) port here onboard a BRP Tausug-Philippine Navy.

The said unit was previously based in Luzon and is placed under the Operational Control of the 303rd IBde.

Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd IBde commander, in his statement said that, “the additional troops will boost our efforts in our campaign against the New People’s Army (NPA).”

The additional forces will also reinforce and sustain the conduct of Community Support Program (CSP) teams in priority areas of the brigade and further complement the other CSPs that are being launched in the island.

It will also beef up the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to address the Communist Terrorists Group.

“With the support of the local government units, other agencies and the communities, we will achieve a peaceful province free from the influence of the NPA,” Pasaporte said.