MANILA, Aug. 11 --- The military on Friday denied claims that it is offering PHP100,000 for every New People's Army (NPA) rebel neutralized or arrested.
"There was no such announcement made by the Armed Forces of the Philippines on the reported 100 thousand pesos reward money for every member of terrorist NPA (neutralized and arrested). Just as there is no existing AFP policy governing such rewards, the AFP denies allocating such amount for such purpose," AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said.
He added that the giving of the PHP100,000 reward was earlier declared by the Negros Occidental provincial government and its stakeholders in a bid to destroy the remaining NPA and other criminal and lawless groups that repeatedly victimized local residents and businesses.
"But we appreciate their valiant stand against these menaces to society. That manifests theirs and stakeholders' united resolve to protect their constituents and residents. That was intended to solidify support for and engender cooperation with government to counter these terrorist-bandit-organized crime groups," Arevalo added.
It was shown in many instances in the past --the recent ones being in Bohol, Cebu and Palawan-- that the cooperation, vigilance, and active involvement of local government, the citizenry, and the stakeholders can help prevent or resolve quickly any attempts to disrupt the peace and the onslaught of development in their localities.
"They can, by their concerted efforts to secure their communities, shield the peace dividends from the clutches of evil," Arevalo said. (With Kathryn Villamayor - OJT/PNA)
