Mayor Vincent Arbolado has opposed the establishment of a military camp in Poblacion 4, Siaton, Negros Oriental.

During the Provincial Peace and Order Council Conference Tuesday, at Royal Suites, in Dumaguete City, Arbolado  said  the   residents  in  his  municipality  expressed fear about the presence of  the  military.

Residents went through  their  worst experience   with  the military in the past, he added.

At present the 79th Infantry Battalion, whose operations cover Tayasan in the north to Basay in the southern portion of Negros Oriental, has a camp in Poblacion 4, Siaton.

The mayor said his constituents were asking  for the transfer of the military camp  from  Poblacion  4  to  a  barangay about eight to 10 kilometers  from  the  Poblacion.

Arbolado  said the  Sangguniang  Bayan  has  passed  a  resolution addressing  the  transfer  of   the military camp.

Rep. Henry Pryde Teves (NegOr, 3rd district) has offered an area that could be  used  as  a  camp, he added.

The conference  was  attended  by  302nd Brigade Commander Col. Cesar Yano,  79th IB Commander Col. Nestor Forlucas and  other local  government  officials, and was presided by Gov. Emilio Macias, II.

Macias, Forlucas, Yano and Arbolado agreed that the military be allowed to put up their camp in Poblacion temporarily.

If the residents will continue to disagree with the military presence,   the camp will have to be transferred, Macias said.

Yano said the community should not be afraid of the new breed of military.

Our approach in  fighting rebels  is  through  education  and  by  bringing the  basic  services  to  the  people, especially in  the  hinterland  barangays, he said.*MA

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