More than 1,500 residents of upland barangays of Vallehermoso, Oriental Negros, yesterday held a protest rally to condemn the alleged series of atrocities committed by the New People's Army, the military said.

The placard-bearing rallyists composed of "pro-democratic groups" and "Alsa Masa" converged at the Vallehermoso town gymnasium, and took their turns in condemning the summary killings and extortion activities of the New People's Army in central Negros, Lt. Col. Jess Manangquil, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, said.

Manangquil yesterday said the march rally by Vallehermoso town residents indicate that they are already fed up with the rebel atrocities.

Participants in the march rally are residents of upland Barangays Bagawines, Bairan, Pinowacayan and poblacion of Vallehermoso, Oriental Negros.

Manangquil said among those who gave testimonies on the alleged atrocities committed by the New People's Army, are barangay kagawads, victims of rebel extortion activities and those whose family members were summarily executed by the rebel movement.

These people were tight-lipped on the presence of rebels when we entered their respective barangays in previous months. Now the situation has reversed, they are secretly feeding information to us, he added.

Military records show that six persons, including a leader of the breakaway Revolutionary Proletarian Army rebel faction, three militiamen and two civilians, died in assassination activities perpetrated in central Negros within the months of January and February.

Nine upland barangays in Vallehermoso and Guihulngan towns in Oriental Negros classified by the military among the "infiltrated areas" of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA in central Negros, are now the focus of the "SOT" or the Special Operations Team campaign of the 11th Infantry Battalion.*GPB

back to top