Acting Mayor Ernesto Reyes of Guihulngan City, Negros oriental has requested the intercession of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and the congresswoman of the first district, Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong, for the deployment of another Philippine Army battalion in the city, following the murder of six policemen by suspected members of the Communist New Peoples Army on Friday.
Vice Mayor Reyes said Monday it took sometime for the Army soldiers to respond to the ambush area in Barangay Magsaysay in the absence of a detachment in the area.
He believes the Communist terrorists were able to regroup in the hinterland barangays of the city and gathered enough strength after the pull out of the 11th Infantry Battalion in McKinley.
That battalion was sent to Mindanao to run after the Abu Sayaff and so the vacuum left by the pullout was taken advantage of by the rebels.
In fact, he said, the alleged landing of 20 rebels along the beaches of the city would not have been possible if the 11th IB was still in Barangay McKinley.
Initially, the city has shouldered the cost of the coffins of all the six policemen and during its regular session today, financial assistance was expected to be approved.
OIC Mayor Reyes had earlier lamented what the CPP/NPA atrocity will bring to the tourism industry of Guihulngan City.
He considered this a setback in seeking the help of the governor and the congresswoman to lobby for the redeployment of one battalion of the army in the city.
In fact, Councilor Felomino Reyes, son of the vice mayor is thinking aloud if it would be possible to purchase an armored personnel carrier (APC) as a service vehicle of the police in Guihulngan every time they will respond to calls for assistance from hinterland barangays, so they will not be like sitting ducks when fired upon by enemies of the state.
He could not imagine if he was with the convoy of the Mahindra patrol jeep at that time because he was in front of the city administrator that time when Councilor Edison Dela Rita reported that he was ambushed and requested for a rescue.
Meanwhile, Philippine Councilors League National Chairman Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang and national president Councilor Chavit Singson wantd to be appraised of the physical condition of one of their members Councilor Edison Dela Rita who was first ambushed during that day.
Dayanghirang and Singson sent Bayawan City Councilor Dan Aurelia, PCL NIR director to make sure the ambushed city councilor is in good hands and in safe condition.
Councilor Aurelia said the instruction is for him to extend whatever assistance it can extend without issuing further statements. Let the investigation do its course, he pointed out. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)
