DUMAGUETE CITY (PNA) — Philippine Army and Philippine National Police (PNP) officials in Negros Oriental have confirmed the existence of partisan armed groups (PAGs) securing mostly private individuals, including politicians in the province.

This was disclosed earlier this week in a closed-door conference with police, provincial military and various intelligence units in attendance at Camp Fernandez in Agan-an, Sibulan.

The conference was precisely called to consolidate data gathered on said partisan armed groups as the country braces for the May polls.

Last month, as the world condemned the Maguindanao massacre, police and military officials in the province announced that there were no private armed groups in the province.

Supt. Alet Virtucio, Deputy Provincial Director for Administration said the conference, which was held Monday, was held to identify various PAGs and monitor their activities, as well as discuss the conduct of random checkpoints under the supervision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The Comelec-PNP-Philippine Army (PA) checkpoints, which were put up at the start of the election period last Sunday, are meant to act as deterrent against the carrying of firearms by these partisan armed groups while the gun ban period is on until June 10, said Virtucio.

Col. Manuel Ochotorena, Deputy Commander of the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, explained that partisan armed groups fall under a different category from local “terrorist” groups.

He said the PAGs are said to be operating in small numbers of less than 10 persons to a group in Bayawan City, Basay town and Canlaon City.

According to Ochotorena, there are no more than a dozen partisan armed groups found to be operating in Negros Oriental.

Local “terrorist” groups, particularly the New People’s Army (NPA), can be found in Sta. Catalina, Siaton, and Zamboanguita in southern Negros Oriental, and Guihulngan and a few other areas in the north, he added.