BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson again extended an “olive branch”, or offer of reconciliation to the New People’s Army (NPA) insurgents, telling them that there are “no winners in war.”
Lacson appealed to the NPA to return to the folds of the government in response to the death of NPA leader Romeo Nanta, publicly known by his alias “Ka Juanito Magbanua.”
Lacson hoped the situation in Himamaylan City would settle down so that affected residents can return home.
He described the situation in the city as “unexpected” as clashes between government forces and the insurgents usually last for a few hours only or two days at most.
The running gun battle in Himamaylan City has already stretched to a week and claimed the lives of two Philippine Army personnel and wounded six others.
“Through [National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict], [the localized peace talks] is already ongoing, we have had our share of surrenderees who have returned to the folds of the law and have already received assistance from the government,” Lacson said.
When asked if the provincial government’s projects and developments are actually reaching Himamaylan City’s Barangay Carabalan, Lacson said he would find out and he expects the city’s local officials to brief him about the matter.
The governor is also expected to visit the affected residents today or sometime this week to check on the situation of the evacuees.
As of yesterday morning, the number of evacuees already ballooned to 17,000 individuals.
The clash in Barangay Carabalan erupted last week after elements of the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion stumbled into an alleged NPA harboring area.
A total of five gun battles had already occurred in the area, and following the death of Nanta, the NPA is reported to have separated into smaller groups in a bid to escape the pursuing Army and other law enforcement personnel./PN
