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Thursday, December 29, 2005
Rebel group drops media invite amid absence of ceasefire
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) cancelled their invitation for media practitioners and foreign observers to join them in their 37th Founding Anniversary Celebration in Mindanao last Monday.
CPP made the cancellation because of failure to arrive at a definite agreement with the government on the ceasefire.
The rebel group's local political wing National Democratic Front-North Central Mindanao (NDF-NCM) disclosed that their local armed wing New People's Army (NPA) liquidation squad Eking Balacuit Command is ready to "punish" those adjudged as "enemies of the people" by their revolutionary court.
But a military officer said the NPA rebels have been capitalizing on the use of landmines disregarding the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law of which the NDF is a signatory.
Meanwhile, a top officer of NDF-Mindanao spokesman Jorge "Ka Oris" Madlos told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that their group would have welcomed media practitioners and foreign observers anew to their annual anniversary celebration.
"It is very difficult on our part as there is no ceasefire and we don't want the media to be caught in a crossfire," Madlos said.
For the past two years, numerous media practitioners from all over Mindanao particularly from the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Iligan, Pagadian, Davao, General Santos, and Zamboanga and those from Bukidnon, Surigao and Agusan del Sur and Norte areas among others have been invited by Madlos for various occasions.
There were also a number of foreign observers and even local politicians who attended these occasions.
'Inhuman'
Several "contacts" from the communist rebel group would visit these various cities and make arrangements for the media practitioners, foreigners, and politicians to visit their camps for these celebrations even using security codes.
Among these occasions were their 35th CPP Anniversary last December 26, 2003 at Lianga, Surigao del Sur and then last March 2003 for a "Tribute to the Media in Mindanao" that was attended also by Surigao Representative Prospero Pichay and Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano who asked Madlos to intervene in extending the ceasefire during that time.
Then there was also the 36th CPP Anniversary last December 26, 2004 at Rosario, Agusan del Sur.
NDF-NCM spokesperson Ka Cesar Renerio said their People's Court is currently investigating several other persons who are accused as "enemies of the people."
Renerio said in due time, their NPA Eking Balacuit squad would not hesitate to mete out the punishment due to these "enemies."
However, Major Jose Maria Cuerpo II chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 5th Civil Relations Group said the communist group is also the one violating its own code.
Cuerpo cited how the NPA rebels have been using landmines disregarding the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
Cuerpo said this only showed how "evil, inhuman and insincere these people are."
He added that the AFP long banned the use of landmines during combat operations.
"Their continued and indiscriminate use of landmines and complete disregard of civilian lives that become victims of these acts, showed inhuman and anti poor stance of the NPAs," Cuerpo said.
Last month, a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit and an Army soldier were wounded after landmines planted by the rebels exploded in the hinter barangay of Davao de Sur.
Another brutal incident, Cuerpo said, is the landmine explosion in Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental that killed several civilians.
"The continued use of landmines by the NPAs deserve them the title of `Worst Terrorist Group'," Cuerpo said.
(December 29, 2005 issue)
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