Oriental Negros remains generally peaceful despite the presence of different anti-government groups particularly the New People's Army, Lt. Col. Romeo Basco of the 61st Infantry Battalion said in his report yesterday.

Basco, who replaced Col. Norman Flores, called on Gov. Emilio Macias II recently, is taking charge of the 61st IB of the Philippine Army overseeing the southern pat of Negros Island. He said they have received intelligence reports on citings of different armed groups in their assigned areas, but the insurgency problem remains manageable.

Basco said that aside from the NPA, other movements and armed groups in the island are the RHB and the breakaway group of the RPA-ABB.

He also identified the area between Barangay Mantiquil in the municipality of Siaton to Tamlang Valley among their areas of concern.

He said their troops are in the area due to the impendingoperation of a bio-ethanol plantation in Tamlang Valley.

Macias said he was elated that the army is closely looking at the activities in the Tamlang area, since the proposed development in the place could be used by armed groups to push for their anti-government propaganda.

Tamlang Valley was once a stronghold of the NPA. It is bounded by local government units including Santa Catalina, Siaton, Valencia and Pamplona.*MA

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