BACOLOD City – Aside from pursuing the communist insurgents, the government soldiers will also focus on the group’s “money-making schemes” in the Negros Island.
Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, who assumed as commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB) here on Thursday, said the communist-terrorist group has been earning over P20-million yearly from various funding sources since five years earlier.
“We will expose their schemes. They are earning a large amount of money in Negros. They call it ‘land cultivation area,” Pasaporte added.
He said the amount could be more, considering some leaders of the rebel movement have been allegedly pocketing a portion of their earnings.
“There’s corruption within their ranks,” he added, saying the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) has put up small businesses as part of their alleged money-making schemes.
“They (CPP-NPA) have long been deceiving the people of Negros. They should no longer be allowed to do that,” he said.
Pasaporte, who succeeded Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, added the 303IB troops will focus on the CPP-NPA’s support elements and their united front organizations.
“Whether aboveground or underground, these organizations, they are continuously deceiving the people of Negros. I will also give focus on that aspect,” he said.
“Most importantly, we have gained the operational tempo in our favor, in Negros Occidental,” he added.
Pasaporte said he will lead the Brown Eagle Brigade in maintaining the operational measures to sustain peace and development in his area of responsibility.
“To be able to do this, we will double our efforts to reduce further the biggest criminal syndicate being run by the minions of Joma Sison here in Negros, in terms of their manpower and firearms through our intensified operations,” he added.
The 303IB covers the northern and central parts of the island, including the first to fifth districts of Negros Occidental and the first district of Negros Oriental.
The 79th Infantry Battalion in Sagay City and the 62IB in Isabela town in Negros Occidental were under the 303IB along with the 94IB based in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.(With a report from PNA/PN)
