By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
THE PROMISE of Major General Marion Sison, commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) based in Jamindan, Capiz, to finish OFF Negros’ commies by the end of 2023 hadn’t happened.
The January 2 assassination of businessman Juvinie Sarrona carried out by 15 armed men – later identified as members of the New People’s Army – Northern Negros Front-Rose Jean Pelle Command (NPA-NNF-RJPC) – was a “big blow” to Negros’ Army.
Worse was the statement of Ka Cecil Estrella, acting spokesman of the NPA-NNF-RJPC, stressing, “The killing of Sarrona was a portrayal of our front’s resolve to recover from previous losses and rebuild the mass base.”
Very alarming, indeed!
On July 21, 2023, when Sison guested the Army’s 303rd Infantry (Brown Eagle) Brigade’s 37th Founding Anniversary in Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, he told the crowd –that included Gov. Bong Lacson and some mayors – that he’ll finish off Negros/ insurgency problem by end of 2023.
To recall his exact quote, Sison told the governor and the mayors: “With you, we can finish this (insurgency)! This is the right time to finish the enemy. This is the right time for us to be prepared for territorial defense.”
That time, Sison was a newly-installed commander of the 3ID.
A month after, in a press conference at the capitol’s social hall in Bacolod City, Sison was asked by yours truly regarding his “ambitious promise” to end the 55-year-old armed conflict in Negros.
He never flipped-flopped. He was consistent and confident to wipe out Negros rebels by the end of 2023.
‘HULING HIKBI’
In the later part of 2023, the Army sent a press release titled: ‘Huling Hikbi” (last sob), referring to the “last moments” of the NPA in Negros. Again, the media never doubted Sison and the Army with this aspiration.
Alas, everyone in Negros was “shocked” when Sarrona, a 43-year-old sugar planter and furniture maker/dealer, was gunned down by armed men in front of his uncle, among other family members, in their house in Barangay Bug-ang, Toboso town night of Jan. 2.
Their family-owned tractor was also burned.
A day after, NPA-NNF-RJPC via Ka Cecil issued a statement owning up the Sarrona murder.
Ka Cecil accused the victim as a member of a gun-for-hire in northern Negros, prime suspect in the controversial Sagay 9 Massacre in 2018, coddler of ex-rebels, and land grabber.
Too, the NPA’s spokesman said the killing of Sarrona was their way of punishing the former.
This military action conducted by the NPA-NNF-RJPC, the Reds’ spokesman added, was part of the guerilla front’s 55th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Police Major Jun Ray Batadlan, Toboso’s chief of police, however, denied Ka Cecil’s claim against Sarrona.
“He (Sarrona) hds no derogatory record in town.”
The Army’s Lieutenant Colonel J-Jay Javines, acting as 3ID spokesman, also nixed Ka Cecil’s pronouncement.
Both Batadlan and Javines chorused that Sarrona was just a government supporter for peace and development initiatives.
‘CHRONIC REBELLION’
The PA’s statement re: Sarrona’s killing has “weight”. Simple to understand: They (rebels) still exist in Negros. Their continued existence remains a threat not just to the Army but against Negros’ peace and order in general.
This premise, therefore, connotes a dismal failure on the part of Sison.
Moral of the story: Know the terrain in your area of responsibility (AOR) and never, never cast an “ambitious promise”.
Rebellion is all about ideologies indirectly causing armed conflicts longer and bloodier.
Correct me if I am wrong, some may say an ideology may be shallow or ubiquitous in nature, but fighting such is really tedious. Thus, even the sitting Gov. Bong Lacson personally admits (how many times) that insurgency in Negros remains to be an “uncured headache”.
Let it be known that the provincial government of Negros Occidental is spending huge amounts just to entice rebels to come down and be part of the government’s endeavor to spread peace and progress. But to no avail still.
The truth is, for 55 years now, no Army general has been able to contain the insurgency problem in Negros. Not even Sison, for sure!/PN
