Brig. Gen. Vicente Porto, newly-installed 3rd Infantry Division commander, yesterday confirmed the deployment of an Army unit in Negros, to replace the 15th Infantry Battalion, which is now stationed in Mindanao.

The replacement of the 15th Infantry Battalion was made after Armed Forces chief of staff Alexander Yano ordered government troops to redouble their efforts to reduce the New People’s Army into a police problem by 2010.

Porto said the series of legal offensives by the front organizations of the NPA against government troops in Negros, form part of their continuing strategy to lessen the military pressure on their armed guerillas.

Brig. Gen. Josue Gaverza, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, had earlier said they will launch decisive action against the armed NPA in central and northern Negros, after focusing on the clearing of insurgency-affected barangays in northern and central Negros last year.

Under Executive Order 739 issued by President Arroyo, local government executives are enjoined to spearhead the anti-insurgency campaign in their areas by addressing basic needs of their constituents, while government troops run after the armed rebels.

Priest-turned-rebel Frank Fernandez claimed  in a statement he issued that the military in Negros is now panicking, because of the series of tactical; offensives being launched by the NPA since last year, including the attack of a police station in La Libertad, Negros Oriental.*GPB

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