The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), also known as the Spearhead Division, is on track in its campaign to eliminate the local communist terrorist group (CTG) by the end of this year.
Accomplishments
Captain Jessie Jun Ebalan, chief of the 3rd Division Public Affairs Office, said they have significant accomplishments when it comes to guerrilla units and reduction in manpower and firearms.
“We are on track; I could say that the 3rd Infantry Division is on track. We are winning our campaign in Western Visayas, Negros Island Region and Central Visayas. There is a significant decrease in the firepower and manpower of the NPA [New People’s Army],” he said.
In June this year, through the National Joint Peace Security Coordinating Council, the vertical unit of Kilusang Rehiyon (KR) Panay, which is the Regional Sentro De Gravidad (RSDG) Madi-as, was declared as dismantled.
“A vertical unit is the regional striking force of KR-Panay. This is a big accomplishment since we have declared this as dismantled as of June 18 this year,” he said.
This accomplishment won for the 3ID and its 301st Infantry Brigade the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Campaign Streamer Award, awarded during the 90th founding celebration at Camp Aguinaldo by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
Other guerrilla fronts have been declared dismantled in previous years.
This year, they also neutralized 15 CTG members in Panay, to include the four who died in an encounter, one apprehended and the 10 who surrendered.
In Negros Island Region (NIR), there were 14 fatalities and 23 who surrendered.
Further, 82 firearms were seized, captured and surrendered. Of these, 47 were from Panay and 35 from the NIR.
Aid for rebels
Ebalan added that 17 former rebels received assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).
Under ECLIP, a rebel upon surrender receives P65,000 in assistance; P15,000 for immediate assistance and P50,000 livelihood aid.
There is a separate firearms remuneration, depending on the number and the serviceability.
Meanwhile, the 3ID also extended support to the Philippine National Police in serving the warrant against Roberto Caballes, the second deputy secretary of KR-Panay, resulting in his death.
An encounter in Negros Occidental led to the neutralization of four CTG members.
They also apprehended Gaspar Matullano, former KR-Panay secretary with a P2.5 million bounty and multiple standing warrants of arrest in Iloilo City.
The surrender of a wounded CTG member in an encounter in Tapaz, Capiz, to the 301st Infantry Brigade was also among their latest accomplishments.
The 3ID has jurisdiction over Western Visayas, Negros Island Region and Central Visayas.
“Hopefully, the division can reach the target that has been set by higher headquarters,” he said. (PNA)