BACOLOD CITY — All police units in Western Visayas will remain vigilant against possible rebel atrocities amid the unilateral ceasefire declared by President Rodrigo Duterte during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
On Thursday, Malacañang said the truce would take effect from Dec. 23, 6 p.m. to Dec. 26, 11:59 p.m. and from Dec. 30, 6 p.m. to Jan. 2, 11:59 p.m.
Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO) – 6, said the police in the region would follow the President’s order, but they would not let their guard down, especially in high-risk localities.
He said they would not limit police visibility patrol since the communist rebels might grab the opportunity to carry out attacks.
Moreover, Gorero said they are implementing “Oplan Ligtas Paskuhan 2017” in Western Visayas to secure major places of convergence, such as churches, shopping malls, transport hubs, public plaza, in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said on Wednesday “the unilateral ceasefire would lessen the apprehension of the public this Christmas season”.
“We expect that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front would do a similar gesture of goodwill,” Roque added.
Since October this year, police units in Negros and Panay had been the subject of atrocities perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA).
On Oct. 3, five men of the Cauayan Municipal Police Station in Negros Occidental who responded to a call for assistance were ambushed by about 30 armed men, but they were unharmed. Three civilians, including two foreigners, caught in the crossfire were injured.
On Nov. 24, a policeman was killed while 10 others, all personnel of the Regional Public Safety Battalion-6, were wounded after a group of NPA rebels fired at them in Maasin, Iloilo.
On Nov. 22, three police officers were also wounded when an improvised explosive device planted by the communist rebels exploded in Sibalom, Antique. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
