The commanding officer of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division, Major General Ruperto Pabustan, made a quick visit to Catanduanes last Friday to confer with local officials and rally troops of the 83rd Infantry Battalion.
Pabustan, accompanied by Army officers, flew in on board helicopters and paid a courtesy call on Governor Joseph C. Cua at the provincial capitol before holding a dialogue with 83rd IB soldiers headed by Col. Romeo Basco at their camp at barangay Lictin, San Andres. The general also delivered his Christmas message to the troops and reminded them to always observe human rights in their internal security operations.
According to a reliable source, Gen. Pabustan told Gov. Cua that the Army is intent to achieve its target of eliminating insurgency in the Bicol region by June 2010, with the New People’s Army’s number down to 500 in the six provinces.
The Army presence on the island, it was said, has kept communist rebels at bay despite sporadic attacks against Army and CAFGU detachments. The NPA’s recruitment drive, the Army claims, has been stalled by the successful Army forays into previously communist-influenced villages.
The NPA’s Nerissa San Juan Command has recently claimed that their tactical offensives against the AFP and PNP in Catanduanes in Caramoran and Panganiban resulted in five dead soldiers.
In a statement, the rebel group said that the Nov. 17 ambush of four soldiers on board motorcycles between Alinawan and Tibo in Panganiban led to the death of three soldiers, including 83rd IB Bravo company leader 2Lt. Rodel Balatbat. The Nov. 22 ambush of the three-vehicle security convoy of Col. Basco at Guiamlong, Caramoran, also led to the death of two soldiers due to a land mind detonated by the rebels, the NPA claimed.
The offensive, it said, were in response to the widespread militarization of the island under the Oplan Bantay Laya 2 of the AFP, the harassment of civilians associated with progressive organizations who were forced to "surrender" as alleged NPA members.
The 9th ID has denied the NPA claims as mere propaganda to cover up their flagging campaign to recruit the masses into the communist fold.