THE Movement Against Tyranny in Northern Mindanao (MAT) said the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) should get their facts straight, pointing out that protesters in the streets are not members of the communist rebel group, New People's Army (NPA).

The militant group was reacting to a statement of 4ID commander Brigadier Franco Nemesio Gacal saying that majority of the activists rallying in the streets were NPA members.

“It is a big lie, (because) the NPA is in the mountains. These people in the streets come from different places, bringing with them different issues,” said Fr. Roland Abejo, Mat spokesperson and priest of Iglesia Filipina Independiente.

He said that even in their church they have issues, justifying that since they are men of the church, they must be with the oppressed people who were denied of their rights.

Abejo said they are saddened with the new commander's statement, and at the same time worried.

He said the army should focus fighting the rebels in the mountains, and not target civilians in the streets.

“We are saddened with the accusations made by 4ID officers, when they are the ones who have known better. His (Gacal's) statements are worrying as it wants to silence and stop the progressive groups, because what they wanted is to side with the new liberalization of the government's rule now,” he said.

Abejo insinuated that in order for the army's work to be easier, they are accusing people in the city as NPA members.

Gacal earlier said 80 to 90 percent of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA are non-combatants and are actually seen in the streets participating in rallies.

Gacal said he plans to address this problem through “non-kinetic efforts” and not through violence.

“Legal actions dapat, yung mga tao na nakikita natin sa kalsada (those people we see on the streets), these are members ng (of) shadow government, and they are undermining our government, sila yung andun sa mga probinsya, sa mga barangays,” Gacal said in an earlier interview.