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Saturday, July 30, 2005
'We are no rebels'
By Joel P. Mapiles
* Sta. Ana folks angered by media reports linking them to NPA
* Civilians were invited by Army for "census" before articles came out
* Military official says residents were not called "rebels" but
"sympathizers"
STA. ANA -- "We are peace-loving civilians who live a simple life and not members of the NPA (New People's Army) as alleged by the media. These are irresponsible accusations."
Thus said a group of 20 civilians who sought the assistance of the Municipal Council here to clarify that they are not "NPA returnees" as reported in some national and local newspapers.
Newspaper stories written by Jojo Due, Jorge Hubierna and Fred Roxas reported that the army authorities in Camp Aquino in Tarlac City claimed that they have already dismantled a "shadow government" of an NPA group in this town.
The reports said the dismantling came after the alleged surrender of at least 20 officials and members of the rebel faction's barrio revolutionary committee (BRC) to the 69th Infantry Battalion based in Barangay San Agustin here.
It was also reported that Major General Romeo Tolentino, commander of the Army's Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom), identified and enumerated the names and positions of the 20 suspected NPA rebel returnees.
However, an Army official who requested anonymity, attended a meeting Friday with the barangay officials and the complaining civilians to categorically deny that they identified the 20 barrio folk as NPA members but as mere "symphatizers."
The official blamed the media on the alleged fabricated news stories that has described the civilians as part of the NPA's shadow government.
With what they called irresponsible journalism, the barangay officials and the civilians urged the Nolcom to file cases of libel and moral damages against those who published the names of their townmates in the newspaper articles.
The civilians who were identified as NPA members want their names to be cleared as they claimed that they are now experiencing "sleepless nights" and their families and relatives were highly affected and frightened.
"Hindi kami makatulog, lahat ng mga kamag-anakan namin ay nag-aalala dahil baka may dumampot na lang sa amin. Kaya gusto naming malinis ang aming mga pangalan. Hindi kami NPA at kami ay nakikisimpatiya para sa kapayapaan at katahimikan ng ating bayan at hindi sa anumang samahan (We could not sleep, all of us relatives are afraid that we would just get picked up. That is why we want to clear our names. We are not NPA members and we are peace advocates)," said Librada Sunga, 78, one of the alleged NPA surrenderee.
Those who want to clarify that they are not NPA rebels are, namely: Javier Mallari, Narding De Leon, Benjamin Maun, Antonio Lugue, Ronald Musngi, Nardo Vercasion, Remedios Padilla, Violeta Dungca, Eduardo Musngi, Feliciano Montoya, Ogoar Musngi, Pedro Montoya, Marcelina Turla, Gener Mananquil, Norma Baron, Alfe Mataga, Jerry Rivera, Noel Macapagal, Daniel David. They are all residents of Barangay San Agustin.
Pedro Montoya, 75, said they were invited by the Army in their village's Barangay Hall for the military's "census and pictorial" activities.
Montoya stressed that if they have only learned that their names will be published, they won't entertain the said invitation.
The barangay officials and residents of San Agustin said they would prepare a formal petition asking the Philippine Army to pull out their troops from the barangay to avoid further "human rights" violation in their area.
However, the army official encouraged the barangay officials, the beleaguered civilians and the media to attend a meeting with the officials of the Nolcom here on Sunday to clarify the issue before making their moves.
(July 30, 2005 issue)
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