The upland barangays of Linantuyan and Trinidad in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, which are now being occupied by the 11th Infantry Battalion Special Operations Team personnel for their immersion activities, are located in the center of a New People’s Army guerilla base in central Negros, the military said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Franco Nemesio Gacal, 11th IB commander, yesterday said the CPP-NPA is now mobilizing its legal fronts, to prevent the military from dismantling the “shadow government” established in the two upland barangays.

Gacal said the Barangay Revolutionary Councils in two upland areas of Guihulngan have been existing for a long time, and residents who have been required to pay revolutionary taxes of P5 to P10 a month, and two ganta of rice a month for every family, are already up in arms against it.

Whatever is collected from the people, he added, is being used to feed the members of the Komiteng Tagapatuman- Central Negros, which is now headed by Nilda Natan, its party secretary.

“If we are able to destroy the CPP-NPA shadow government in the two barangays, it may result in the displacement of its red fighters who have already merged with the populace and hide their firearms to avoid detection,” Gacal said.

Six farmers in Brgy. Linantuyan yesterday filed criminal complaints of grave threats with elements of coercion and extortion against Lourdes Baloy, a Bayan-Muna partylist local leader and chairperson of the Paghiliusa sa Manguguma sa Brgy. Linantuyan, before the City Prosecutor’s Office of Guihulngan, he added.

The six farmer-complainants had earlier been reported by Karapatan- Negros and its allied organizations to have been abducted by the 11th IB soldiers.

Karapatan yesterday reported that members of its fact-finding team investigating the reported arrest of six farmers, who are staying at the house of a certain Pio Mata in Sitio Taklungan, were surrounded by 11th IB soldiers.

“We consider this an act of continuing harassment and intimidation not only against the Karapatan team, but also of Mata, who are now also in danger of illegal arrest,” the group said, in text messages sent to various media outlets in Bacolod City.

Gacal, however, said they are protecting the farmer-complainants from being intimidated by Karapatan-Negros, which are now working to convince the farmers to retract their statements against Baloy, who is reportedly collecting revolutionary taxes while escorted by rebels.

He assured Karapatan members that they have no plans to arrest them, unless if they make trouble. Gacal also said “They are now panicking because once we succeed in our case against their member (Baloy), their holdings in Brgy. Linantuyan will collapse.

Mata was among the six who filed charges against Baloy, and had admitted to being escorted by 12 armed rebels provided by Baloy to collect foodstuff from his neighbors. He claimed he was forced to do it so his family will be spared from harm.

Last month, Bayan-Muna party-list group leader Veteliano Jakosalem and his deputy, Diosdado Cobol, gave themselves up to the 11th IB Special Operations Team in Brgy. Trinidad, Guihulngan.

Jakosalem admitted being the team leader of a “spy unit” of the NPA, and a member of the Kahugpungan sang Mangunguma sa Oriental Negros, the mother organization of PAMABALI, of which the six farmers are members, while Cobol surrendered a 357 magnum caliber revolver, military records showed.

Gacal said this was followed by the surrender of nine militiamen of the New People’s Army in Brgys. Trinidad and Linantuyan in Guihulngan.

The military estimates that at least 80 armed rebels are operating in central Negros alone.

After clearing the two barangays from the influence of rebels, Gacal said they intend to organize the Barangay Defense System, for residents of the two areas.*GPB

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