It will be business as usual for the military in Negros during Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

Col. Honorato de los Reyes, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said that while they will observe Holy Week, they have a mission to protect the Filipino people.

Suspected New People’s Army rebels simultaneously raided and burned two transloading stations of Lopez Sugar Corp. and Victorias Milling Co. in Brgy. San Jose, Toboso, on Palm Sunday, causing an estimated damage of P4.8 million.

De los Reyes said they have not received any guidance from the AFP national headquarters to suspend military operations against the NPA, after observing a seven-hour unilateral ceasefire during the boxing rematch of Manny Pacquiao, an Army reservist, and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, on March 16.

He reiterated his call for soldiers to remain vigilant.

Pursuit operations are still ongoing against the fleeing NPA rebels who had raided the two sugarcane transloading stations in Toboso, which are being conducted by the 15th Infantry Battalion, in coordination with the 6th Regional Mobile Group.

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office will go on heightened alert status starting today, to ensure the availability of all personnel and resources for public safety and security operations.

Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil, chief of the PNP Directorate for Community Relations, was designated by PNP chief Avelino Razon as “area supervisor” in the implementation of security and public safety plans in Western and Central Visayas.

The PNP also activated Oplan Bantay-Lakbay for the long summer vacation, as part of the nationwide security plan to ensure the safe travel of motorists and commuters by air, sea and land, as well as security in popular vacation destinations.

De los Reyes also dismissed claims of renegade priest Frank Fernandez, secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, that they have a hidden agenda in establishing a link with the four Church dioceses in Negros island.

“That is a purely malicious allegation...a typical reaction of the CPP-NPA,” de los Reyes said.

Our intention is pure and honest - to promote human rights and dignity, he added, referring to the creation of the Church Military Advisory Group in Negros.*GPB

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