Sending more soldiers and policemen to Bicol, Samar and Negros Island is aimed at curbing resurgence of lawlessness of the New People’s Army (NPA), Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Saturday.

“We have many enemies out there. The above-mentioned places are critical areas, where the NPAs exercises some sort of control especially during elections,” Lorenzana said in ambush interview at a veterans' event in Quezon City.

Bicol, Samar and Negros Island were hotbeds of the NPAs in the early 70s to the late 80s.

“It’s not really related to elections. It just happened that there will be elections and also there’s always this possibility that the NPAs will again interfere with the upcoming political exercise,” Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana said the Duterte administration is not planning to declare martial law.

“The President has already said that he will not declare martial law all over the country. If plans push through, it’s in Mindanao where martial law will be extended but not martial law in the entire country,” Lorenzana said.

Once soldiers and policemen are sent to these mentioned areas, they will be launching law enforcement operations and they will only be recalled once they have completed their tasks, he said. DMS