THE top official of the Philippine Army in Negros Occidental on Monday, February 18, said military intelligence report consistently showed that there are at least three mayors in the province getting or giving support to the New People's Army (NPA).
Col. Benedict Arevalo, commanding officer of the 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Murcia town, said the persistent reports linked these local chief executives with the rebel group.
“There is one mayor in the south, one in central and another one in the north part of the province,” he said, adding that there could be more including other local officials aside from mayors.
However, Arevalo still refused to disclose the identity of the said mayors and local officials.
The army official earlier revealed that there are politicians in the province who use NPAs as private armed groups based on the initial information they received.
Aside from threatening opponent-candidates, NPAs are being used to intimidate voters during elections, Arevalo had said.
“I cannot name names because I also want to protect them. We will not judge them and we will not take it against them. It is not our jobs in the military to prove their guilt,” the official said.
Arevalo reiterated that the Department of the Interior and Local Government has already warned local officials against supporting or sourcing out support from the rebels because it is illegal.
“The persistent intelligence reports show that these politicians are giving or getting financial support, logistics, and manpower like as private armed groups from the NPAs,” Arevalo said.
He emphasized that it is not only the United States and Philippine Government that have declared NPA as terrorist group but the European Union as well.
“We continue to remind our officials to refrain from giving and getting support from the NPAs. Our role in the army is to maintain and ensure peaceful elections,” Arevalo stressed.
Negros Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., for his part, said mayors and other local officials need not to be reminded of having no links with the rebels.
“They are already aware of this, they should,” Marañon said.
“They are aware that giving support and favors to the rebels mean that they are going against the government,” he added.