Fifty young policemen will participate next week in what Senior Supt. Charles Calima, provincial police director, calls a local version of the "Balikatan" exercises, aimed at upgrading the combat-readiness of Negros Occidental policemen.

Calima said the 50 young policemen who will be assigned later in the four provincial mobile groups, will also be trained as "tourist policemen", in support to the tourism program of Governor Joseph Marañon.

The training will not only involve Scout Ranger-trained soldiers as trainors and facilitators but also representatives of the Department of Tourism, Calima said.

The conduct of combat training among first batch of policemen came in the wake of orders issued by PNP chief Arturo Lomibao for police units nationwide to conduct an "all-out offensive" against the New People's Army.

In the past weeks, majority of the targets by the New People's Army were directed at isolated police outposts in Masbate, Sorsogon and Leyte, police records show.

In his orders relayed to various police regional offices, Lomibao stressed the need for police units to be on offensive mode, not merely taking a "defensive stance"

Under his NEGROS program of action, Calima said the four PMGs will be required to conduct two major combat operations every month, starting this year.

Brig. Gen. Jogy Leo Fojas, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said they will train policemen how to look for and fight "enemies of the state".

Fojas said training will also include combat maneuvers and immediate action drill, among others.

The military training of policemen at 3rd PMG headquarters in Hinigaran, is expected to last for two months.

In his report to the Police Regional Office 6, Calima admitted that the New People's Army red fighters are now capable of launching "limited and selective action" such as liquidation, small-scale ambuscade and harassment against military and police units in Negros.*GPB

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