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Wednesday, September 10, 2003
NPA camp raid a lie, says rebels
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
COMMUNIST rebels have accused the military's 9th Infantry Battalion of playing a "dirty trick" to the public when it claimed to have overrun a New Peoples's Army (NPA) rebels camp in Sitio Dugo-dugo in Claveria town, Misamis Oriental last week.
Rebel forces were so surprised when 9IB head Lt. Col. Rainer Cruz publicly announced they have recovered NPA's firearms in Claveria, Emiliano Libertad, spokesman of the Eking Balacuit Command said.
In a statement sent to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Sunday, he said, this is another product of Cruz's "sick propaganda" against their group.
"Dili ikatingala kun buhaton niya ang tanan bisan pa kun mosangpot sa pagpanglingla ug pangilad basta lang matagbaw niya ang iyang mga superyor ug ang maki-kaugalingong kahakog niya sa promosyon (This is not surprising as Cruz will do everything he can even to deceive the public must so it will come out that he is superior and should be promoted)," he said.
Libertad called on the soldiers who know the truth to come out and confess to the public that Cruz was lying about the latest encounter.
The paper failed to reach Cruz for his side of the story as of presstime yesterday. But a soldier said this is common for NPAs to deny encounters, surrenders and any event that would put them in a bad light.
"Mao naman gyud na sila. Kabalo naman ang mga tao anang ilang kalaki (That is how they go about things. The people know of their operate)," he said.
Last Thursday, he reported that one section of the 9th Infantry Battalion Bravo Company led by 2Lt. Chris Anthony Morales sneaked in the NPA's base and clashed with some 15 heavily-armed communist terrorists.
After a 15-minute firefight the NPAs fled the area leaving behind two M16 armalite rifles, one Cal. 30 garand rifle, one homemade Cal. 30 garand rifle, one Cal. 38 revolver, one ICOM Base IC 2000, one Motorola GP 68, one medical kit bag and voluminuous subversive documents.
Morales told the media that he estimated that there were three wounded in this latest clash.
Libertad said their BHB or Bagong Hukbong Bayan under the Eking Balacuit Command, which is operating in the mountains of Claveria, is far from the supposed encounter. "Walay engkwentro nga nahitabo (There was no encounter)," he said.
He said the firearms and subversive documents presented to the media last Thursday was those taken from an encounter in Dagalas last Dec. 15, 2002 which they have not denied.
Libertad said there are several reasons as to why Cruz would go to such lenghts to deceive his superiors Col. Melchor Dilodilo or the 403rd Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Cristolito Balaoing and the public that there was indeed an encounter and that they won
First reason, Libertad said is to show to the public that they are still winning over the revolutionary forces in the area despite how it is the other way around.
He said the second reason is for Col. Dilodilo and Gen. Balaoing to have some basis to promote Lt. Col. Cruz to full-pledge colonel.
Also to deceive and topple down the revolutionary forces and the grassroots people supporting the BHB in Claveria.
Lastly, Libertad said the "supposed recovered firearms" from the NPA would gain them some money which is estimated to reach about 200,000.
"Pagka-dakong balasubas niini nga klase sa tawo! Korapsyon kini sa pinaka-esensya (Cruz has no conscience. This is corruption in the deepest sense)," he said.
Libertad said the ordinary soldiers under Cruz are well-aware of this "hocus-pocus" and should come out to redeem the dignity of their institution and to protect the money of the people who are paying for their wages and they have sworn to fight for.
He said it is because of these corruption that there are defections and several rumors of destabilization.
(September 8, 2003 issue)
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