By CESAR JOLITO III
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. has lauded the Negros Occidental provincial government for its intensified efforts against insurgency, particularly its reintegration initiatives for former communist rebels.
During a visit to the Provincial Capitol on Saturday, May 23, Teodoro met with Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and other local officials before proceeding to the military camps of the 79th Infantry Battalion in Sagay City and the 15th Infantry Battalion in Cauayan town.
Teodoro praised the province’s “Balik Salig” program, a reintegration initiative that provides financial and other assistance to former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who surrender and return to mainstream society.
The program is funded through the Provincial Peace and Order Fund and complements the national government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.
The defense chief said the military’s role goes beyond combat operations, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and local governments in helping former rebels rebuild their lives.
He also commended Negros Occidental officials for maintaining what he described as a firm stance against insurgency while supporting rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.
Teodoro’s visit came in the wake of recent military operations in Negros Occidental that resulted in the deaths of 24 alleged rebel combatants in separate encounters in Toboso and Cauayan.
The April 19 clash in Toboso left 19 suspected NPA members dead, while another encounter on May 16 in Cauayan resulted in the deaths of five more rebel remnants during operations conducted by the 15th Infantry Battalion.
Left-leaning groups previously questioned the Toboso operation and described it as a massacre, but Lacson defended the military action, saying it was part of a legitimate pursuit operation against armed rebels and did not warrant a separate investigation.
Teodoro suggested that recent armed activities by rebel remnants may have been aimed at discouraging members from surrendering amid intensified government reintegration efforts.
The defense secretary also expressed gratitude to residents who provided information to authorities regarding the whereabouts of rebel groups operating in their communities, saying public cooperation played a key role in the success of recent military operations.
He noted that the support from local communities reflects growing public resistance against insurgent activities in the province./CJ, WDJ