CLOSE to 5,000 residents in Mountain Province staged an indignation rally on April 9 to denounce the presence of the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Tadian.
Mayor Anthony Wooden led the rally at the Tadian Central School open gymnasium.
He and the residents carried placards denouncing the presence of NPA, the use of prohibited improvised explosive devices (IED) and landmines during combat operations, and building fear and trauma among the people.
In their messages, the people expressed they were consumed by fear and trauma caused by the firefights between the rebels and the government forces.
They urged their neighbors not to extend any support or assistance to the communist terrorists and give extensive information to the authorities that will lead to the arrest of the members of the NPA.
They also condemned the NPA tactical offensive using landmines as an act of terrorism.
The anti-NPA rally was initiated by municipal and barangay officials, religious sectors, NGOs, Bureau of Fire Protection, government line agencies, volunteers and students from the different schools of Tadian.
Uniformed personnel from the Mountain Province Police Provincial Office, Tadian Police and personnel of the Regional Manuever Force Battalion 1502nd Coy also joined the peace rally.
The rally stemmed from the recent encounters in the mountainous areas of Bauko and Tadian that affected the peace and order and livelihood of both municipalities and that resulted in the killing of two police officers and wounding of nine others.
Police Brigadier General Israel Ephraim Dickson of the Police Regional Office - Cordillera said the rally aimed to appeal for a genuine and lasting peace within the community.
“This is a clear manifestation that the community of Tadian and Bauko are volunteering themselves to denounce the NPAs’ presence, activities and atrocities of the bandits,” added Dickson.