New People’s Army Rachelle Mae Palang Command (RMPC-NPA) spokesperson Estrella Banagbanag claimed that the series of focused combat and retooled community support operations proves that the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command (AFP-CentCom) is threatened by the gains and advances of the NPA in Southeast Negros.

“Action speaks louder than words, why waste big amounts of resources and troops if indeed the threat is miniscule?” Banagbanag remarked through a statement.

She was referring to AFP-Centcom chief Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan’s announcement in November last year regarding the dismantling of the NPA’s Southeast Negros guerrilla front.

According to Banagbanag, this aggrandizement of fictional military feat against the NPA is repeated again this year by the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division and Negros’ reactionary armed forces officials. But this time with the inclusion of North Negros Front to the list of “dismantled” guerrilla fronts.

“Obviously, they needed some big time accomplishment to brandish in order to justify the gargantuan ‘counter-insurgency’ operation funds they are amassing that has become the milking cow of its avaricious top senior officials,” she said.

They desperately needed to project a “winning” image congruent with CentCom’s “winning the peace” concept, she added.

Banagbanag expressed that the intensifying and sustained large-scale focused military operations on the hinterlands of Sta. Catalina, Sibulan, Siaton and other adjacent areas contradicted the AFP’s own claim of reducing the Southeast Negros Front into an insignificant remnant spent force.

She said further that amid immense difficulties posed by the enemy, the NPA have made great strides not only in frustrating enemy offensives but in advancing its integrated tasks in advancing the people’s war.##