Bayan-Negros: The government is useless in solving problems

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Various progressive groups in Negros, including the local chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), over the weekend slammed President Rodrigo Duterte’s memorandum ordering the deployment of additional troops and police officers to Negros in response to the recent spate of violence.

Bayan-Negros Secretary-General Michael dela Concepcion said the move shows “the government is useless in solving the country’s problems.”

He explained, the problem of violence exists because of landlords and warlords who refuse to give up land to the province.

The Bayan-Negros official pointed to land conflicts as the cause of the ‘Sagay 9’ incident and the murder of National Union of the People’s Lawyers-Negros secretary-general, Atty. Benjamin Ramos, Jr.

Last week, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, cited recent acts of violence in justifying the need for reinforcements in order to “prevent further loss of innocent lives and destruction of property.”

The added security seeks to “bring the country back to a state of complete normalcy as quick as possible.”

The order also reiterated measures the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) can undertake during a state of national emergency on account of lawlessness; along with directing the AFP, PNP, and Department of Justice to closely coordinate and intensify local and transnational intelligence operations./DGB, WDJ