Tuesday, April 10, 2007 Army intensifies ISO in S. Negros By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
THE Army's 61st Infantry "Hunter" Battalion has resumed an intensified internal security operation (ISO) in its entire area of operations as part of its effort to deter unscrupulous elements from creating havoc and prevents them from muddling the generally peaceful election campaign atmosphere in southern Negros.
61IB Commander Lt. Col. Norman Flores Jr., said these operations will focus primarily on the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) elements who will take advantage of the election period to further their political, financial ideological and propaganda objectives.
Flores also assured people in southern Negros that his unit won't hesitate to arrest and disarm any individual or groups who will be reported in possession of any firearm, grenades or other explosives that can be used to harm, threaten or intimidate any individual during the campaign period particularly the candidates.
The army, added Flores, in support of the Philippine National Police (PNP), will assist all candidates, regardless of their political parties, who would seek
assistance while on their campaign trails.
Coordination mechanisms have been installed in place with various Comelec (Commission on Election) officers to effectively implement gun ban rules and
regulations, Flores said.
He also said the intensified ISO will make sure that the NPA will not be able to create troubles, particularly to candidates who are not willing to collaborate with them, or give in to their permit-to-campaign (PTC) or permit-to- work- (PTW) demands.
The ISO shall be done to evict them from their bases, put them on the run, constrict their maneuver space and prevent them from using the people as shields for any trouble that they commit, he said.
"They shall also be monitored and prevented from inflicting casualties to innocent civilians supportive of certain candidates," he added.
Flores said that it is public knowledge that NPA collects Permit To Campain (PTC) and Permit to Work (PTW) fees to beef up their financial and logistics
position and ensure defeat of those candidates who would not collaborate with them.
Hence, collaborating with the NPA for a candidate to win or capture votes is not guaranteed as what they profess it to be, he said, adding, "The NPA will only get money from the collaborating candidates but push for their henchmen and cohorts running for various posts. They would project themselves wielding powers to command people whom to vote."
Flores also said that as part of their strategy to ensure collaboration by candidates, they will employ various tactics including the use of force or threat
to get votes.
They will do it through the so-called command votes, negotiated votes, mass votes and alliance votes, the 61IB commander added.
He explained that command votes are generated by leaders and key members of the party branches and committees in influenced and less-influenced barangays as ordered by the NPA to the populace against their will.
Negotiated votes, on the other hand, are those arranged either by mutual accommodation by both candidates or exchange of money. And mass votes are almost similar to command votes but without much pressure from the NPA as to whom to vote.
Alliance votes, meanwhile, is when a candidate promises to accommodate NPA-supported candidates in exchange for their votes to their own candidates.
In any of these modes, the people are abused and disenfranchised as they are not given the free hand in exercising their right to suffrage.
These will all happen at the expense of the Filipino people and its democratic processes as this is the highest form of treason a Filipino citizen can commit against his country and people just to win an election, stressed Flores.
Along with these, Flores said the army, in coordination with the Comelec and PNP, strongly warns all candidates not to resort to any means of election
related violence.
He said the army will take strong actions against those candidates or individuals and groups who will create conditions that could affect the conduct of honest, orderly, and peaceful elections.
