IPSP Bayanihan unaffected

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – The ambush-slay in La Castellana, Negros Occidental early this week has not in any way affected the government’s Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan, according to Col. Francisco Patrimonio, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental.

Patrimonio told The Freeman that some quarters had the wrong impression that the incident would require the government to revisit or review the IPSP Bayanihan.

It showed instead the “ruthlessness” of the NPA in committing “terroristic acts” targeting helpless civilians and to discourage the people from joining the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams (BPATs), a citizens’ arm providing support to the police in securing peace and order at the barangay level.

Patrimonio said the IPSP Bayanihan focuses on non-combat operations and civic-military operations to entice rebels to surrender, but it does not necessarily constrain the military to take tactical offensives and combat operations.

The ambush, which he said government and military officials have strongly condemned and dubbed as a massacre with utter disregard for civilians, was apparently carried out by the Larangan Guerilla 1 of the NPA but it is difficult to fathom whether attack was political or military in nature.

“If it was military in nature, why target civilians,” Patrimonio said. (FREEMAN)