Sunday, September 07, 2008 Army unfazed by rebels' plan to launch attacks
A TOP military official said the Philippine Army was not surprised over the threat of the communist New People's Army (NPA) to launch attacks in Mindanao and other parts of the country amid the ongoing offensive against renegade Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels.
Colonel Daniel Lucero, commander of the Army's Civil Military Operations Group, also said that the pronouncement of Jorge Madlos, spokesman for the National Democratic Front Mindanao, only bolsters the terrorist tendency of the communist movement.
"The pronouncement of Jorge Madlos, the National Democratic Front Mindanao spokesperson, that the communist group will launch tactical offensives in Mindanao and in the whole country as a manifestation of its commitment to the MILF and the Bangsamoro struggle did not come as a surprise to the Philippine Army," said Lucero.
The military leadership ordered an assault against the renegade groups of commanders Umbra Kato and Abdullah Saber Macapaar alias Bravo about two weeks ago after the secessionists attacked Iligan City and four towns in Lanao del Norte Province that left scores of civilians and government troops dead.
"The pronouncement has just confirmed the view that both the CPP/NPA/NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines/NPA/National Democratic Front) and the lawless MILF share a common identity - as a terrorist group, a common interest to coerce the government to do what they want through the use of violence, and a common approach - to attack and slaughter unarmed and hapless civilians and pillage their properties to compel the government in support of their political aims," said Lucero.
"The CPP-NPA-NDF press statement only confirms the communists' recognition they are a mirror image of the terrorist lawless MILF," the Army official also said.
Lucero nevertheless said the military is prepared to address whatever plans the communists have in view of the intensified operations against the renegade MILF rebels. The Army is leading the offensive, which is supported by the Air Force and the Navy.
He said the troops "have made the necessary adjustments to their operations to deny the communist terrorists from taking advantage of the Army's considerable focus on the operations against the lawless MILF." (VR/Sunnex)
