Former RPA chief joins poll battle

Visayan Daily Star (Feb 11): Former RPA chief joins poll battle

After spending 27 years of his life in the revolutionary movement, Stephen Paduano, alias Carapali Lualhati, who has renounced the armed struggle, is now raring to pursue a non-violent form of struggle, one that is parliamentary in nature.

Paduano had served as the national commander from 1992 to 2012 of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, that had entered into peace talks with the government in year 2000. He joined the New People’s Army in 1985 and stayed with it until 1992, the rift between mainstream and the rejectionist group started, that later led to the formation of the RPA-ABB.

He resigned from his position as the RPA-ABB national commander in June last year, and said yesterday that he is the first nominee of the Abang Lingkod Partylist group.

Paduano said he is joining mainstream politics, with the imminent signing of the closure peace agreement between government and the RPA-ABB. The final draft of the peace agreement was reported to be on the desk of President Benigno Aquino III for approval.

While he expects a 100 percent support from his former colleagues at the RPA-ABB, Paduano said the use of guns in campaigning for Abang Lingkod is strictly prohibited, and will not be allowed, or tolerated.

If they successfully get a seat in Congress, he said they will focus their resources on Negros Occidental, where the bulk of their members are located.

Paduano also expressed support to the Sugarcane Act of Rep. Alfredo Benitez. He however, said the campaign for land for the landless, which they have been pushing for ever since, did not solve the problem of poverty in the countryside.

This is due to the lack of support from the government, he added.

The partylist group will hold a nationwide caravan on Feb. 15 as their opening salvo for the 2013 election campaign season. It aims to heighten the people’s awareness on our presence and what we represent, Paduano said.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/February/11/topstory4.htm