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Friday, June 30, 2006
Army wages serious war vs Left
By Dante M. Fabian
ANGELES CITY -- The deployment of Philippine Army (PA) troops in the city and several other towns of Pampanga is a clear sign of the 69th Infantry Battalion’s serious war to quell the insurgency led by the communist National Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (NDF-CPP-NPA) in Central Luzon, Philippine Air Force (PAF) officials said.
Officers under the supervision of Colonel Ricardo Bisaya, PA 69th IB commanding officer, disclosed this to residents of Barangay Pampang led by barangay chairman Carlos Dela Cruz in a recent forum at the Pampang Elementary School.
The Army officers said their presence in the city is to carry out at the grassroots level the Arroyo government’s serious fight against communist groups and to end their decades of insurgency.
The soldiers deployed in the city and other Pampanga towns have their headquarters at the Transco (formerly National Power Corporation) offices in Tangle, Mexico, which belong to the 17th Infantry Division under Major General Jovito Palparan.
Captain Ericson Bulosan, “B” Company commander, said the 69th IB is serious in waging a war to stop the insurgency problem in the city, adding that the Army is also intent on assisting the local government and Philippine National Police officials in fighting criminality including the fight against illegal drugs, carnapping, robberies, holdups and other crimes.
However, Bulusan also allayed fears of residents and barangay officials, explaining that the Army soldiers asking names and other background information of people will be for the sake of peace and order in the barangay.
While asking for their cooperation, Bulusan also warned parents of the possibility of their children being recruited by the CPP-NPA and may become casualties if they get into bloody battles with the Army.
Bulusan warned the people to dissuade their children from joining activities of the NDF-CPP-NPA and its legal fronts which he said are working to create a revolutionary communist government. He said these include the party list group Bayan Muna, womens’ rights group Gabriela, Anak Pawis, Migrante, among others.
Lieutenant Norman Valdez, 69th IB operations officer, informed the audience that there are many Pampang residents identified with these left-leaning groups.
Valdez said the Army soldiers will be visiting people listed in the “order of battle” who are involved with leftist organizations. He added that names of those who refuse to cooperate will be submitted to the PA headquarters for appropriate action.
(June 30, 2006 issue)
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