|
Friday, January 17, 2003
NPA rebels burn down 2 Globe towers
By Harley Palangchao
THE military reported Thursday that suspected communist rebels simultaneously torched two Globe cell towers in Barangay Santo Rosario Old, Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija, and Barangay San Isidro, La Paz, Tarlac, on Wednesday night.
Maj. Gen. Rodolfo Alvarado, commanding general of the Armed Forces North Luzon Command (Nolcom), reported the latest NPA attacks on these vital installations were a result of the refusal by Globe Telecom management to pay revolutionary taxes to the NPA.
Garcia said an NPA group, under the leadership of a certain Ariel Fernandez alias Abe, burned the telecommunication facility of Globe Telecom in Tarlac and forcibly took the cellular telephone, wallet, and 12-gauge shotgun of the security guard posted there at around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Before the burning of the cell tower in Tarlac, Garcia said that another group of NPA cadres torched a Globe cell site located at Barangay Santo Rosario Old, Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija.
Garcia reported he had also ordered military field units to reinforce ongoing pursuit operations in order to ensure that no incidents of this nature will take place in other areas.
These incidents, according to him, are desperate moves on the part of the NPA to force owners of business establishments to pay revolutionary taxes.
Garcia, however, said there is only one legitimate government within the Republic of the Philippines, and only it has the sole authority to impose taxes upon the people.
He added, "Our legally constituted government does not condone their revolutionary tax schemes simply because it is unconstitutional."
The military officer also pointed out that the NPA have expanded their targets of extortion to include, not just wealthy residents and businessmen, but also the lowly teachers, farmers, fishermen, tricycle drivers and overseas Filipino workers, practically covering the entire strata of Philippine society.
Recently, the police also confirmed that even members of cultural minorities like Aetas that were resettled in Porac, Pampanga, are now required to pay P20 weekly per family to the NPA.
The NPA and its archrival group, the Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Bayan or RHB, reportedly earned the ire of residents there because of their illegal activities. "Aside from using the people as milking cows, the rebels are quick to impose punishment on those who refuse to cooperate or obey their demands," Garcia added.
Meanwhile, in the Nolcom's 2002 yearend report, they claimed that the NPA's rebel strength dropped from its peak of 5,000 in 1988 to only 1,500 now, with a 15 percent annual average decrease.
The military report noted that of these numbers, around 1,100 are regular cadres armed with firearms of assorted calibers, while about 35 percent of their present force or around 525 cadres are only minors.
Garcia explained that with the implementation of a series of socio-economic campaigns, such as community-based development projects involving the local community, the military was able to work hand-in-hand with direct beneficiaries, especially in depressed localities.
He also claimed that the military was able to clear some 50 barangays in Northern Luzon from NPA influence. These include 26 barangays in Central Luzon, 21 in Cagayan Valley and three in the Cordilleras.
Military intelligence, however, failed to thwart the blasting of the bust of former strongman Ferdinand Marcos in Tuba, Benguet, on December 29. The Chadli Molintas Command of the New People's Army has owned up responsibility for the bombing.
In addition, Garcia said that Nolcom was able to neutralize a total of 201 NPA armed regulars, broken down into 60 killed in encounters, 87 captured and 54 rebel surrenderees, to avail themselves of the government's amnesty program.
(January 17, 2003 issue)
Want Sun.Star news on your mobile phone? Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
