Army to protect the Dazas amid NDF threat

From the Leyte-Samar Daily Express (Nov 26): Army to protect the Dazas amid NDF threat

The highest leadership in the Philippine Army here affirms readiness should Deputy Speaker Raul Daza and Governor Paul Daza need protection from the military amid the series of threats that they have been getting from the National Democratic Front of the Philippines – Eastern Visayas (NDF-EV). Colonel Rolando Malinao, commander of the 803rd Infantry Brigade that covers the whole province and some parts of Samar and Masbate area, said in a mobile interview with LSDE that it is their mandate to give protection to the people in their area of responsibility regardless of their status in life. “All peace loving and law abiding Nortehanons, regardless of their status in the society and political leanings are given equal protection by the military (and the police) as mandated by law,” Malinao said.

Recently, the NDF-EV has been issuing “hate statements” against the Dazas for the latter’s alleged involvement in several corruptions and crimes in the province. In its November 13 statement, the NDF–EV through its spokesman Fr. Santiago Salas has declared the Dazas as “enemies of the people” and vowed to have them pay for their “crimes” before the revolutionary “people’s court.”  This was followed by another press release which stated that the NDF-EV has ordered its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), to “dismantle” the “private armies” being allegedly maintained by the Dazas in Northern Samar. In both statements, the NDFP-EV declared contempt on the Dazas for supporting the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ “Oplan Bayanihan” and for launching the Local Social Integration Program (LSIP) that gives monetary rewards to rebel returnees in the province. In this matter, Colonel Malinao defended the Dazas. He asserted that the LSIP aims for nothing but to achieve a lasting peace in this insurgency ridden area.

“Huwag silang (NDF) magagalit sa mga local government units na sumusuporta sa Oplan Bayanihan at LSIP. Ang layunin lang nito ay makuha ang kapayapaan sa mapayapang pamamaraan,” said the Brigade commander. The LSIP, which was approved and funded as a provincial ordinance here in 2011, offers a maximum of P40,000 cash as financial assistance and other livelihood benefits to rebels who surrender to the local government. Other cash rewards are also offered for surrendered firearms. Malinao clarified that the LSIP does not ask for rebels to surrender their political beliefs as alleged in the NDF-EV statement but only provides a package of “socio-economic assistance” to former rebels and militias who want to start a new life in a normal environment. “The provincial government gives P40,000 as counterpart to the support of P50,000 from the OPPAP (Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process)”, he said. In their media interviews, both Rep.Daza and Gov. Daza said the NDF-EV has been unfair in its allegations and has wrongly judged them......

http://leytesamardaily.net/2012/11/military-ready-to-protect-the-dazas-amid-ndf-threat/