DARAGA, ALBAY --- The Armed Forces of the Philippines in Bicol will deploy 540 newly trained combatants to intensify its anti-insurgency campaign across the region.

        Army Major Gen. Jeffrey Sodusta, Commanding General of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division said during the change of command at the Army’s 901st Brigade based in Barangay Villahermosa, this town, that the newly trained soldiers will be deployed in the provinces of Albay and Sorsogon to augment the troops fighting against the communist guerillas.

        “We will deploy one more Army battalion under Col. Ariel Bernardo to augment your troops to crash the communist insurgents,” Sodusta said.

        Bernardo is the newly installed commanding officer of the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade. He replaced Army. Gen. Mohammad Nur Askalani, now appointed assistant deputy commander of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division based in Pili Camarines Sur.

        Sodusta also said that the AFP is planning to integrate rebel surrenderees of the New People’s Army with their guns in the Armed Forces to further intensify the fight against the insurgents.

        “While we’re pursuing relentless combat operation against the NPA, the AFP is planning to integrate the rebels to join our fight to attain peace. We will give them a chance if this is the key to the attainment of peace and development in Bicol,” he said.

        Sodusta also lauded the leadership of Askalani for crippling the insurgency movement in Sorsogon province after three top rebel leaders were arrested while sneaking through checkpoints in this town.

        “The insurgency movement in Sorsogon was completely crippled following the arrest of three top rebel leaders,” Sodusta said, adding that Sorsogon Cong. Salvador Escudero informed him that prior to their arrest the three NPA leaders came to his office in Sorsogon to push for a localized peace talk.

        “We’re open to that initiative if this is the leeway for peace,”’ he said.

        The three arrested NPA top rebels were identified as Andres Hubilla alias Ka Magno/Bunso, provincial party secretary; Emmanuel Mores alias Ka Kris; and Eddie Alemania, alias Ka Taba.

        Hubilla, Mores and Alemani were all apprehended at a checkpoint along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Villahermosa, Daraga, Albay last April 12. They were on board a black Nissan Exalta with plate number XLT 808 when Armymen manning the checkpoint flagged them down for routine inspection.

        The troops recovered from the rebel leaders a cal. KG99 hand gun with two magazines loaded with 31 ammunitions.

        They were found facing three counts of frustrated murder and one murder case pending against them.

        Army Col. Bernardo for his part said they will conduct massive offensive attack against the communist movement to crash them before President Gloria Arroyo’s timetable ends in 2010.

        “The President’s timetable to bring down the enemy to a consequential level is doable but we need the support of all stakeholders. There is urgency to finish off the rebels to bring about economic upliftment in the countryside,’ he said.

        Total unifier

        Bernardo, however, qualified that social integration is also needed in the war against insurgency like the pursuance of localized peace talks. “Hindi na kailangan ang utak pulbura”. Our work philosophy should be that we need to consider preservation of human rights to win the war. I know we have road map and timetable but as leaders and managers we should focus and be guided by our mission and vision as total unifier,” Bernardo explained.

        The Bicol region is considered a rebel country. Currently there are 460 influenced barangays and 682 threatened villages. The province of Camarines Sur has the highest number of infiltrated villages followed by Masbate, according to military report.

        At least five provincial committees and 13 guerilla fronts of the communist insurgents are operating in Bicol region. These provincial committees are the Komprob Xerix covering Camarines Norte, Komprob Acer for Camarines Sur, Komprob Neptune covering Albay province, Komprob Epson for Sorsogon, Komprob MMX for Masbate and Islacon Risa for the island province of Catanduanes with 13 guerilla fronts.

        The government troops have been fighting the communist insurgents for almost 40 years now but the rebels are still out there being kept alive by mass base support of impoverished and marginalized people in the countryside.