BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) central office assured Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson of continued support to the evacuees who have fled the fighting between government forces and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Himamaylan City.
According to Lacson, DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo has given them assurance that his department is ready to give whatever the evacuees need and has already prepositioned relief supplies needed by 3,500 individuals taking refuge in evacuation centers.
Officials from the DSWD central office who visited the evacuees are so far satisfied with the actions taken by the Himamaylan City government led by Mayor Raymund Tongson.
Tongson, meanwhile, clarified that only 3,500 individuals are in vacuation centers while pointing to 18,000 as the total number of affected individuals.
“Ang report sang DSWD national is in total, both ang na-extract kag ang ara sa actual encounter sites,” Tongson said.
Yesterday morning, additional relief supplies from the DSWD arrived at the evacuation centers.
The provincial government of Negros Occidental also sent 50 sacks of rice and 40 boxes of canned goods and noodles.
Lacson also noted that some of the personnel overseeing the needs of the evacuees are becoming exhausted, although for manpower needs, the provincial government is ready to tap the help of neighboring LGUs.
As of yesterday morning, the Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion was still conducting hot pursuit operations against rebels, with the sixth encounter taking place on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 12.
There were no reported casualties in the latest encounter.
Earlier on Wednesday, 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IBde) commander, Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, ordered the ground commanders to assess some areas of Barangay Carabalan if they were already clear of insurgents so as to allow some of the evacuated residents to return home.
Pasaporte said the first encounter on Oct. 6 was “highly unusual” and they speculated that several high-ranking NPA leaders may be in the area.
The speculation was further fueled by reports that the rebels in the area received reinforcements from other NPA units operating in Negros./PN
