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Wednesday, December 11, 2002
NPA leader seeks stop to gov't offensive
By Harley Palangchao
BAGUIO -- An official of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is urging the Arroyo administration to stop its all-out war against terror, which he claimed was "what the people really want this Christmas season."
CPP spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, in a statement released Tuesday, said the junking by the Arroyo government of a traditional ceasefire with the rebels is "affecting innocent civilians."
On Monday, in the town of Cabugao in Ilocos Sur, a high-ranking communist guerilla and one of his men were killed Monday night during a two-hour encounter with military troops.
The clash came following the order by Maj. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia, commanding general of the North Luzon Command of the Armed Forces, to intensify patrols and monitoring of areas in identified as strongholds of the New Peoples Army, the armed wing of the CPP.
Rosal's call to stop government's alleged war against terror came amid accusations by the communist party that President Arroyo is becoming more like the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in terms of human rights violations.
He noted that since Arroyo declared an all-out war on terrorism last August, "state violence and human rights abuses have been on the rise, especially in Mindoro, Cagayan Valley, Ilocos, Central Visayas, Northern and Western Mindanao."
The CPP official denied the government's claims that the NPA planned to launch intensified attacks this December.
"While the CPP has not declared a ceasefire, the NPA remains generally on the defensive and will act only in response to threats and offensive actions of the Armed Forces," Rosal clarified.
He added: "We shall strive to maintain peace in the guerrilla zones this Christmas by resisting the regime's campaign of suppression and terror."
Heightened actions
With the Arroyo government's junking of the traditional Christmas ceasefire with the communist NPA, earlier tagged a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, Major General Garcia ordered heightened actions against the group.
Army Major Elmer Quiros, group commander of the Armed Forces Civil Relations Group for the Ilocos and Cordillera Regions, said Monday's clash between soldiers and communist rebels resulted in the death of Nestor Sosa, alias Clyde Sadik, and a certain Ka Arman.
Sosa was the vice chief of the NPA operating in the Ilocos Region.
Eight other rebels managed to elude pursuing members of the 50th Infantry Battalion, Quiros added.
Lt. Col. Roberto Almadin, commanding officer of the 50th IB, reported that the slain rebels, together with eight others, were having a drinking spree when the military launched the surprise attack.
Soldiers recovered an M-16 riffle, M-653 riffle with attached grenade launcher, and other personal belongings of the guerillas.
Almadin claimed the rebels just finished collecting revolutionary taxes from the villagers. He said some concerned villagers tipped off the military to the presence of the NPAs in their area.
Col. Ricardo Nobleza, commanding officer of the 503rd IB, is personally in command of the ongoing pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels.
Military sources said on Monday that if opportunity would allow it, the more than 10,000-strong military troops deployed in North Luzon were to launch a series of offensives against the guerillas even during the Christmas season. Sun.Star Baguio |
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