ILOILO CITY: The Philippine Army has dismantled the Southern Panay Front (SPF) of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Panay that will pave the way for the declaration of a Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) in the island.

‘SPF was declared dismantled at the level of 3ID last April 8 and approved by Visayas Command on April 15. We are now waiting for the NJPSCC (National Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center) to officially declare SPF as dismantled. But this is already approved in principle,’ 3rd Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) chief Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines said on Monday.

The remnants with a squad size are no longer capable of a tactical offensive since they have no man and firepower, Javines said.

With their SPF relegated, their efforts are now focused on breaking up the Central Front (CF) followed by the Regional Sentro De Gravidad (RSDG) and the Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay (KR-Panay) so they could recommend Panay as SIPS, Javines said.

The CF is around 30 in number and could reach up to 50, in
cluding the regional force, Javines said.

He said they are optimistic in declaring the SIPS in Panay similar to Negros Occidental.

‘The declaration of SIPS is a symbol of concerted efforts of the military, Philippine National Police, local government units, other agencies, and the people to manifest that there is no longer the threat of insurgency. That the people realized that the NPA is already negligible,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Javines said the body of alias Junjun/Cedrick, one of the two rebels killed in an encounter in Leon, Iloilo, on May 2 was brought to his hometown in San Joaquin on Monday.

The body of Nahum Camariosa alias Rodel/Bebong, squad leader of the SPF, will be buried in Tigbauan, Iloilo, beside the tomb of his wife Rebecca Aliparo, and daughter Rhea Rena, who also died in separate encounters.

Source: Philippines News Agency