By CESAR JOLITO III
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said the government will no longer pursue peace negotiations with the New People’s Army (NPA), as he reaffirmed the state’s intensified campaign against armed insurgents following recent clashes in Negros Occidental.
Teodoro personally visited the province on Saturday, May 23, amid continuing military operations against communist rebels, including recent encounters in the towns of Toboso and Cauayan that left several alleged NPA fighters dead.
The defense chief stressed that while formal peace talks are no longer being considered, the government remains open to assisting rebels who voluntarily surrender and return to the fold of the law.
“The government’s task is really to suppress the armed threat, but beyond that, our soldiers continue to accept returning rebels with the help of local government units,” Teodoro said.
During his visit, Teodoro met with Lacson, provincial officials and military commanders before proceeding to the headquarters of the 79th Infantry Battalion in Sagay City and the 15th Infantry Battalion in Cauayan town.
He also commended the provincial government for its programs aimed at addressing insurgency and supporting reintegration efforts in affected communities.
According to Teodoro, local government officials in Negros Occidental have taken a firm stand in supporting peace and development initiatives, which he described as crucial in weakening insurgency in the province.
The defense chief also dismissed claims by communist rebels that their movement remains strong, saying the NPA’s numbers have significantly declined in recent years.
Teodoro said military operations and increasing public cooperation have weakened the insurgent movement, adding that residents have become more willing to provide information to authorities.
He further confirmed that those killed in the recent encounter in Cauayan were armed combatants.
Military records show that in the past two years, at least 79 alleged NPA members have been killed in Negros Occidental during armed encounters with government troops.
The latest armed clashes in Negros Occidental resulted in the deaths of 24 alleged communist rebels in two separate encounters — 19 in Toboso on April 19 and five in Cauayan on May 16, according to military reports./CJ, WDJ