UMABOT sa 40 kasapi ng Communist New People’s Army ang na-neyutralisa ng Armed Forces of the Philippine sa Visayas Region nito lamang nakalipas na buwan ng Abril bunsod nang walang humpay na focused military operations ng Visayas Command (VISCOM).

Ayon kay VISCOM commander, Lt. Gen. Fernando M. Reyeg, simula noong unang araw ng Abril hanggang katapusan ng buwan ay umaabot sa 40 NPA terrorists ang kanilang na-neyutralisa, 22 rito ang nadakip, 16 naman ang nagpasyang sumuko habang may dalawang NPA ang napatay sa gitna ng sagupaan.

Sa nasabing bilang, 28 NPA terrorists ang na-neyutralisa sa Eastern Visayas habang 12 naman ang nasupil mula sa Western Visayas.

Bukod sa nasabing bilang ng mga communist terrorist, umaabot naman sa 26 assorted firearms ang nasamsam kasama ang isang anti-personnel mine.

Ayon kay Reyeg, commander ng Visayan Command, “The CPP-NPA continues to sustain heavy losses from our focused military operations, and joint enhanced military and police operations. Likewise, their demoralized members continue to flock and return to the folds of the law with our incessant localized peace engagement. The terrorist group is now on the brink of irreversible collapse.”

Inihayag naman ni LTC. Israel O. Galorio (INF) PA VISCOM’s information office chief, tampok sa kanilang kampanya laban sa CPP-NPA ang pagkakadakip kay Romulo Micabalo alyas “Ned/Key” noong Abril 08 sa Consolacion, Cebu.

Ang kilabot na NPA leader ng Regional Guerilla Unit (RGU) sa ilalim ng Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC), ay naaresto sa dalawang government-initiated armed encounters.

Nangyari ang unang sagupaan sa unang linggo ng Abril sa Brgy. Osmeña, Las Navas, Northern Samar sa pagitan ng Phil. Army 19th Infantry Battalion at ng NPA’s Sub-Regional Guerilla Unit (SRGU) ng Sub-Regional Committee Emporium (SRC Emporium).

Sa nasabing engkwentro ay na-neyutralisa ang dalawang NPA terrorists at nabawi ang dalawang high-powered firearms. Nasundan ito ng panibagong armadong sagupaan noong Abril 4 sa Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental sa pagitan ng 62nd Infantry Battalion at nalalabing kasapi ng NPA’s dismantled front, Central Negros 1 (CN1) of Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor (KR NCBS) na ikinasawi ng isang NPA terrorist at pagkasamsam sa dalawang baril.

“There will be no let-up in our efforts. We will never hold back nor will hesitate to use our full force to finally put an end to this decades-long menace that has been terrorizing our country and our people,” ani Lt. Gen. Reyeg.

Sa inilabas na pahayag ni 4ID Commander Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II, sinabi nito, “The government’s comprehensive whole-of-nation approach addressing the insurgency has been yielding remarkable results and is in the final phase in eliminating terrorist criminals in our AOR. The neutralization of top CTG leaders who were feared and notorious before is symbolic of CTG’s lost cause and suggestive of a near victory of the peace-loving people against terrorists.”

“They do not have enough support and are left isolated, on the run, and in survival mode. They have no options left but to yield and allow a peace and development agenda to communities and for the people,” dagdag pa ni MGen. Cuerpo.

(JESSE KABEL RUIZ)