By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The New People’s Army (NPA) yesterday slammed 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) commander, Major General Jon Aying, following his statements branding the group as “terrorists and bandits,” in light of the recent ambush in Calatrava where a planter and his driver were killed.
In a statement, JB Regalado, spokesperson for the Leonardo Panaligan Command of the NPA Central Negros Front, called Aying a “mad dog” over his repeated statements claiming the NPA is “no longer a serious threat in Negros Island.”
They also criticized the addition of two geographical battalions on the island, saying they can still penetrate and attack troops and certain individuals that have a “debt of blood” to the oppressed masses.
Regalado also accused Norberto Lumayno, the murdered planter, of being in connivance with Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. over the “Marching for Peace” program policies of President Rodrigo Duterte.
He further accused the governor of protecting Lumayno, who allegedly expanded his “land grabbing” activities by either killing or threatening innocent farmers and civilians.
“Aying does not have a clear point and is inconsistent,” Regalado said. “He would call us terrorists or bandits, but a few days later he would call on us to return to the peace talks.”
Regalado added Aying has no reason to call for the resumption of peace talks due to his “lip-serving” statements.
Earlier, Aying criticized the NPA after they claimed responsibility for last week’s killings of Lumayno and his driver Danilo Braga.
The two were ambushed by 15 NPA members./WDJ