No more insurgency in Central Luzon, says region’s PNP chief

By Mar T. Supnad

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga -- A police general (chief superintendent) said Friday insurgency is not a problem anymore in Central Luzon.

Chief Supt. Alan La Madrid Purisima, Region 3 police director, said gone are the days when the region was the bailiwick of insurgents during its peak.

He said the last skirmish between government troops and the rebels was Jan. 3 when 24th Infantry Battalion soldiers led by 1st Lt McLloyd Latris encountered a group of communist rebels in Sitio Bulinlin boundary of barangays Bamban and Sto. Rosario, Masinloc, Zambales that resulted to a firefight.

The government troops encountered an undetermined numbers of RHB guerillas led by Alfonso Reyes alias Ka Manny and Almario Archieval known as Rolan.

The soldiers deployed in Purok 7, Barangay Sto. Rosario, Masinloc,, but were fired upon by members of the RHB wounding Latris.

Elements of 24th IB retaliated and dispersed the rebels toward different directions, according to the government troops.

But according to the police general, the number of rebels operating in the region had been dwindling in the past, saying “wala ng problema sa insurgency dito sa Central Luzon.”

He said however that remnants of the rebels who want to join society are always welcome but those who have criminal records should face charges filed against them in courts.

In 80s and early 90s, Samal, Bataan had become the lair of communist rebels where countless guerillas and government forces, including innocent civilians, were killed.