More police forces to be deployed to Comval
by RG Alama
Davao City (16 July) -- With a spate of New Peoples Army attacks in the area, the Philippine National Police will be sending in elite troops to Compostela Valley Province.
According to Provincial Director P/Supt. Ronaldo dela Rosa, a Special Action Forces Battalion will be deployed to the province to beef up the police and military forces in the area.
The elite SAF is the primary Special Forces unit of the PNP and are tasked and equipped to handle counter-insurgency operations aside from counter-terrorism and law enforcement duties. According to P/Supt. Dela Rosa said the SAF will greatly help them as the province is home to about six to seven NPA guerilla fronts.
The provincial director during a media forum held last week in the provincial capitol in Nabunturan also bared the increasing spate of attacks conducted by the NPAs. Figures from May to July of 2008 indicate about 67 incidents of atrocities for a total of 104 attacks for this year alone.
However dela Rosa said that the peace and order situation is still under control and is not slipping from their hands contrary to popular notions. The Provincial Director's sentiment is echoed by Provincial Governor Arturo Uy, who said that investors are still staying put in the province.
Governor Uy, said that a group of Chinese investors he met during his official visit to Xiamen, China are interested in the province's business potentials. (PIA) [top]
