By Paulo Loreto Lim

In response to the recent ambush by the New People’s Army (NPA) on police officers in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña put out a press release suggesting President Rodrigo Duterte deploy armed civilians to combat the threat posed by the NPA.
“Deputize the legally armed citizens, numbering about 1.5 million, to assist and participate with the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the AFP (Armed Forced of the Philippines) in this campaign,” the release stated.
He believes the proposal could “eliminate” the rebel group in “five years or less, or at least during the term of President Duterte.”
The Moises Padilla mayor also echoed similar statements recently made by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr., calling the NPA backstabbers.
According to the release, “President Duterte, while extending his hands in friendship and releasing prisoners and appointing three of their comrades into the cabinet, they were stabbing him in the back by staging ambush incidents against the police and the military.”
Last week, six police officers, including Guihulngan City police chief, Police Superintendent Arnel Arpon, were killed following an ambush by the NPA at Sitio Mandi-e, Barangay Magsaysay, Guihulngan City./WDJ