The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) has assured the public that Himamaylan City remains peaceful and orderly despite the series of clashes between government troops and communist rebels in its hinterland villages in the past several weeks.
Lt. Abegael Donasco, the spokesperson of NOCPPO, said on Tuesday the encounters are just isolated cases and there is no need yet to deploy more police personnel to the area.
“These do not mean that Himamaylan City is in danger or not safe. Rest assured, there is no peace and order threat in Himamaylan. It has not moved to the Red category,” she said in a virtual press briefing.
In the classification of election watchlist areas (EWAs), Himamaylan is listed under Category Orange, which refers to areas of immediate concern, where there is a serious armed threat.
Category Red is tagged as an area of grave concern, with serious armed threats that may warrant the motu proprio (on its own) declaration of Commission on Elections control.
On April 1, the Philippine Army’s continuing combat operations against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in central Negros neutralized rebel-couple Elbert and Jessa Quillano in Barangay Buenavista.
On March 26, NPA fighters Arnulfo and Jayson Sabanal were also killed in a clash in Barangay Carabalan.
On March 16, a soldier and three rebels were injured during an encounter also in Barangay Buenavista.
Donasco said the NOCPPO has not monitored election-related incidents or violence since the start of the local campaign.
In Negros Occidental, the police has listed 18 EWAs, four of which are under Category Red, including Escalante City as well as the municipalities of Calatrava, Moises Padilla, and Candoni.
Source: Philippines News Agency
