Ortiz to NPA: Be sincere in peace talks

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Philippine Army Chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz urged the NPA to show its sincerity in the peace talks with the government, so that the decades-old insurgency problem will finally end.

Ortiz, who is due to retire from the military service next month, visited the various Philippine Army units in the province, and then met with his former troops in the 606th Special Forces Company. He was accompanied by 303rd Brigade commander Col. Oscar Lactao.

Ortiz said, that for so many years now and after five presidents, the peace talks between the government and the NPA have not reached concrete result because the rebels were not sincere.

They continued instead to launch tactical offensives against the government, Ortiz said. "There is no question on the sincerity of the government, it is the NPA that should show they are sincere about the peace talks," he said.

Ortiz, a former captain and a company commander, led the raid of the biggest NPA camp in Brgy. Manipulon of Murcia town in the 1990s, resulting in the killing of hundreds of rebels and recovery of numerous firearms that earned him the Medal of Valor, the highest military honor.

He said he considers his stint in Negros as a turning point in his career, where he also got two Gold Cross medals. - THE FREEMAN