Negros Island. | Google Maps
Dumaguete City, Philippines—The Joint Task Force (JTF) Negros issued a stern warning to all communist terrorist groups in Negros Island to surrender or face the consequence of massive combat operations in the coming days.
“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,” said JTF commander Brigadier General Eric Vinoya.
In a statement released to mark the first month of the newly formed JTF Negros, Vinoya said he will use the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) air and naval assets to “wipe out” the rebel group in Negros Island. The air and sea assets will compliment the ground forces in Negros Island, according to Vinoya.
“To save your life, you still have the chance to leave the armed movement and go back to the folds of law enjoying the true freedom and different government basic services together with your loved ones,” Vinoya said.
Last September 1, 2019, JTF Negros was created to have operational control of all AFP units in Negros Island.
JTF Negros is tasked to oversee the conduct of internal security operations aimed to dismantle priority Guerilla Fronts and defeat the Communist Terrorist Group in the island.
The JTF Negros also aims to develop a good working relationship among stakeholders through the whole-nation approach to end the insurgency problem on the island.
Meanwhike, Lieutenant Colonel Randy Pagunuran, commanding officer of the 94th Infantry Mandirigma Battalion operating in the first district of Negros Oriental, said that the marching order of Vinoya is doable.
In fact, the government troops are intensifying its intelligence operation to hunt and find the enemy and civil military operation ( CMO) through the Community Support Program (CSP) teams, which includes convincing the rebels to go back to the folds of the law.
“It is a big challenge. But, I believe it is doable” Pagunuran said. /bmjo