By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – About 60 individuals from three barangays in Calatrava, Negros Occidental denounced the alleged violence and atrocities committed by the New People’s Army (NPA) through a rally at the covered court of Barangay Minapasuk last Wednesday.
These individuals were residents of Barangays Pantao, Winaswasan, and Minapasuk, according to the Army.
The activity commenced with a pulong-pulong aimed to address the issues and concerns of the residents and introduce programs of the government which was actively participated by the local government unit of Calatrava, barangay officials, police, military, and representatives of other government agencies.
During the activity, participants signed the wall of commitment declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as persona-non-grata in their communities, followed by burning of the NPA flag as they held posters and placards calling for an end to the insurgency in their locality.
Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Alvaran, commander of Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), urged everyone to be committed and sincere in their call for a peaceful community.
“Armed struggle is not the key, but a big hindrance to attaining peace and development,” he said.
Mayor Marilyn Era encouraged her constituents to unite and help their community to be free from the CPP-NPA influence.
“Withdraw whatever support you have to the NPAs because we have our government with us. A government who is there to help and support us, a government who truly looks after its people,” Era said.
