MANILA – The new Army chief, Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado yesterday installed a new commander for the 3rd Infantry Division that will lead the campaign against rebels in Western and Central Visayas.

Brig. Gen. Nestor Ochoa yesterday took over the 3ID command from Maj. Gen. Jovenal Narcise who will retire from the military service May 17.

Ibrado yesterday ordered Ochoa to continue the programs of his predecessor, to fulfill the mandate of the Army to defeat the insurgents in 2010, in compliance with the target set by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division has been tasked to dismantle seven New People’s Army guerilla fronts in Western Visayas, of which four are existing in Negros island.

Brig. Gen. Gregorio Fajardo, assistant 3rd ID commanding general, yesterday said two of the seven NPA guerilla fronts, one each in Negros and Panay islands, have almost been dismantled, with the use of combined traditional and non-traditional military methods.

Ochoa, a member of the Philippine Military Class ’77, used to be assigned in Negros in 2004, as deputy commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade then headed by (Colonel) now Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Sodusta, commanding general of the 9th Infantry Division in Bicol region.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is offering P300,000 incentives to any military unit, who can dismantle a guerilla front in areas where it is operating, under the follow-through funds scheme.

Rebels slammed the military practice of giving “follow-through” funds to units as an incentive in the counterinsurgency campaign, calling it a “bounty” and a “pretext for more corruption and brutalities.”

Although the granting of the funds is not official policy, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro yesterday said he would not discourage it either.

CPP spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal claimed in a statement that the financial incentive only highlighted the military’s “failure to stem the rising tide of the revolutionary movement.”

"This scheme is only bound to produce more fake reports, false raids and more atrocities against innocent civilians," Rosal said.

He said the incentive scheme is not new except that it is now being publicized and openly admitted.

He also said that ever since, AFP field commanders, in collusion with their high command and underlings, have regularly and blatantly been fabricating reports about operations supposedly conducted and victories allegedly gained against the…NPA just to collect their supposed expenses for operations that never took place.

He also accused the military of staging fake surrenders to pocket funds earmarked for surrendered rebels.*GPB

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