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Thursday, March 13, 2003
CPP-NPA gains ground in NegOr
By Jimmy P. Abayon
FROM a mere strength of only 60 red fighters and 12 party members in 1969, the New People's Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP-NPA) has gained ground with 128 guerilla fronts now operating nationwide, claimed a spokesman of the "White Area Commitee" of the Negros Oriental armed movement.
In Negros Oriental alone, the armed underground mainstream communist movement is increasing its sphere of influence despite the split that rocked the revolutionary group in the early 90's and the subsequent exodus of most of its fighters to the rejectionist Revolutionary Proletariat Army - Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB).
The spokesperson, in an exclusive interview Monday at a safehouse in one of Dumaguete City's neighbouring towns, gave the assessment as the CPP-NPA gears up for its 34th founding anniversary on March 29.
The source, who declined to be identified for security reasons, however, refused to divulge the NPA's armed and mass base strengths in Negros Oriental although military intelligence sources place that these are at four regular fronts actively operating north of Negros island and one special front.
A guerilla front is composed of a platoon of red fighters, he said.
The spokesperson admitted that the CPP-NPA purges in the late 80's and early 90's and the split within the ranks of the communist movement contributed much to the decline in the underground's avowed national democratic revolution.
But since then, he said, after rectifying its mistakes, the armed mainstream group has reactivated itself by following a policy of low-level theoretical strategy to promote the "people's protracted war".
The source said disillusionment by those who joined the RPA-ABB and the continuing neglect by the government of the people in the hinterlands helped contribute to the mainstream faction's accelerating mass base support.
The group, he said, has turned counter-revolutionary, allying itself with Governor George Arnaiz and businessman Eduardo Cojuangco for their own anti-people interests.
At present, the source said, the RPA-ABB has only a token-armed strength of 30 and its members are involved in anti-social activities like drunkenness, illegal gambling, extortion and illegal logging among others.
For these and the reason that the situation in the hinterlands has become intolerable, many former supporters have welcomed the ongoing intensified recruitment drive of the mainstream faction, he said.
"Lipay ang masa nga niabot ang 'orig'," the spokesperson said, explaining that the disgruntled RPA-ABB supporters were welcoming them as their original saviors. (to be continued)
(March 12, 2003 issue)
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