The Philippine Army in Bohol declared on Wednesday that there are no armed groups in the province debunking accounts which indicated the presence of bandits in several towns.
According to Lt. Col. Dodjie Belloga, commander of the 47th Infantry Battalion in Bohol, no armed groups were found in Trinidad, Danao, Sagbayan and Candijay contrary to reports that several gun-wielding men were spotted in said towns.
Belloga, whose troops are based in Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Carmen, said that organizers who are part of “semi-legal†teams which are linked to leftist groups were reportedly seen last year.
However, the Army official noted that they are small in number and are unarmed.
These groups are tasked to forge left-leaning communities but are not considered part of the armed component of the CPP-NPA- NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front), he added.
The Army has also assured the public that the government has programs and measures in place to ensure that the province remains insurgency-free.
Nonetheless, Belloga urged the public to immediately report suspicious activities and personalities including armed individuals to authorities. (Rey Tutas)