BACOLOD CITY – Five barangays in Negros Occidental were the latest to condemn the atrocities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and its political wing, the National Democratic Front (NDF).
The village folks declared their stand in separate activities held Friday as part of the commemoration of the 122nd Philippine Independence Day.
In northern Negros, residents of Barangay Canlandog in Murcia town held a peace rally to show their condemnation of the atrocities and illegal activities of the CPP-NPA.
During the activity, participants carried posters and tarpaulins with messages calling for an end to the extortion, harassment, and deception and recruitment of minors being carried out by the communist-terrorist group.
They also attended a pulong-pulong (meeting) with the village officials headed by barangay chairman Reynaldo Gawad and personnel of Murcia Municipal Police Station and troops from the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB).
Councilor Hernan Alintana, president of Association of Barangay Captains, gave a message of peace while former rebel “Anne” shared her tragic experience with the NPA.
Lt. Col. Gerard Alvaran, commanding officer of 79IB, welcomed the support of Canlandog residents towards ending the CPP-NPA atrocities as he assured them of protection from any form of terrorist activity.
“The peace-loving residents of Canlandog are already fed up. They long for a peaceful community where they can live with their loved ones free from threats and deceptions,” he added.
In central Negros, the 62nd Infantry Battalion reported that four villages conducted similar activities, including the declaration the communist-terrorist group as persona non grata and the taking of oath of allegiance to the government by former CPP-NPA’s Milisyang Bayan and party branch members.
In Barangay Puso, La Castellana, the barangay council led by village chief Isidro Arnaiz declared the CPP-NPA-NDF as persona non grata.
A symbolic signing of the declaration and the signing of oath for peace was also participated by guests of honor, Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan and Col. Romy Palgue, officer-in-charge provincial director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.
In Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla, the CPP-NPA-NDF was also declared as persona non grata.
Residents of Barangays Sebucauan and San Agustin in neighboring Isabela town also joined the condemnation of the atrocities of the communist-terrorist group.
According to the 79IB, some 85 former CPP-NPA militia and party members in the four Negros Occidental villages and in three others in Negros Oriental took an oath of allegiance to the government.
Lt. Col. Melvin Flores, commanding officer of 62IB, lauded the efforts of the communities in central Negros and encouraged other Negrenses to work with the government in pursuing a whole-of-nation approach to ending local communist armed conflict.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)