Rebels urged to surrender or face more combat ops

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Brigadier General Eric Vinoya, commander of Joint Task Force (JTF) Negros has warned leaders and members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) that they will suffer the full force of the law if they do not surrender.

Vinoya issued the warning after he announced in an earlier interview that they will dismantle the northern and central Negros Island fronts of the rebels by the end of this year, following the creation of the task force last month for the rapid resolution of insurgency problem in the island.

“If you don’t surrender, expect more combat encounters in the next few weeks as all military units in Negros will be utilized to hunt you and hit you very hard,” Vinoya said.

“To save your life, you still have the chance to leave the armed movement and go back to the folds of law by enjoying the true freedom and different government basic services together with your loved ones,” he added.

The newly-formed task force will utilize the air and naval assets of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to fast-track its anti-insurgency campaign in the island. These assets will complement the ground forces deployed in Negros Island.

Its primary role is to undertake operational control of all AFP units in Negros in conducting internal security operations to ultimately dismantle priority guerilla fronts and defeat communist terrorist groups in the island.

Moreover, the task force also aims to develop good working relationship with other stakeholders through the whole-of-nation approach in ending local communist armed conflict.