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Soldiers to saturate Negros for combat ops, peace efforts

By Nanette Guadalquiver

June 11, 2019, 8:48 am

<p><strong>ARMY IN NEGROS.</strong> Some of the troops of the 62<sup>nd</sup> Infantry Battalion (IB) based in central Negros. Including the newly-returned 11IB, the Philippine Army now has five battalions stationed in Negros Island. <em>(PNA Bacolod file photo)</em></p>

ARMY IN NEGROS. Some of the troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) based in central Negros. Including the newly-returned 11IB, the Philippine Army now has five battalions stationed in Negros Island. (PNA Bacolod file photo)

BACOLOD CITY -- Troops of the Philippine Army will saturate Negros Island for combat operations and peace development initiatives, the region’s top military official said.

Maj. Gen. Dinoh Dolina, commander of 3rd Infantry Division (ID) based in Jamindan, Capiz, said the island now has five battalions after the return of the 11th Infantry Battalion (IB) last week.

“We will saturate Negros Island with more troops to fill up every inch of the island,” said Dolina in a statement on Monday.

He stressed that a bigger number of troops conducting not only combat operations but also peace and development activities will surely create better results in the army’s anti-insurgency efforts in Negros.

“The return of the 11IB will boost the government’s peace campaign and will definitely help in fast-tracking our anti-insurgency and clearing efforts in the island,” he added.

The seasoned 11IB troopers were originally based in Barangay McKinley, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental before they were deployed to Zamboanga City two years ago. They joined the 94IB based in Tanjay City as the second battalion in Negros Oriental.

In Negros Occidental, the 15IB is based in Cauayan town in the south while the 62IB is stationed in Isabela town to cover the central Negros area. The 79IB is headquartered in the northern city of Sagay.

“We shall have five infantry battalions working hand in hand to eradicate the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). With the return of the 11IB, we are seeing the faster demise of the terrorist organization in this part of the region,” Dolina added.

He also renewed his call to the remaining communist rebels in Negros to lay down their arms, abandon the senseless armed struggle, and avail of the benefits from the government’s Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

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)

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