Reds dare Noy to remove all rebel checkpoints

From the Daily Tribune (Apr 24): Reds dare Noy to remove all rebel checkpoints

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) taunted President Aquino to make good his “empty bluster” to dismantle communist checkpoints all over the country as the rebel political group said neither the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) nor the Philippine National Police (PNP) is capable of carrying out Aquino’s order.

The CPP said in a statement the AFP and the PNP are incapable of enforcing the presidential order to get rid of checkpoints established by its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA) in various parts of the country in the aftermath of the ambush of Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona, wife for former Vice President Teofisto Guingona.

“Malacañang and its cohorts are only deluding themselves in making assertions that there is only one political authority in the country,” the CPP said in a statement.

“The CPP dismissed Aquino’s orders as empty bluster which the AFP and PNP are incapable of enforcing…the armed forces and the police personnel of the reactionary government are thinly stretched and cannot possibly cover all areas under the jurisdiction of the people’s organs of political power,” the CPP said.

Last Saturday, Mrs Guingona’s group was on its way back to Gingoog City proper after attending a barangay fiesta when NPA rebels fired upon her vehicle along Barangay Binakalan, Ginggoog City, resulting in the killing of three of civilians.

Mrs Guingona sustained minor injuries while a policeman-escort was also wounded.

The NPA, through Jorge Madlos, immediately admitted responsibility over the ambush and claimed that Mrs Guingona’s vehicle ignored an NPA checkpoint, prompting communist fighters to shoot.

Aquino vowed to find the armed group that attacked Guingona and her companions and bring them to justice.

In a speech during a meeting with local leaders and residents of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental near the ambush site, Aquino said he issued a directive to law enforcement agencies to pursue the group behind the violence.

The other day, Aquino instructed the AFP to dismantle road blocks set up by the NPA particularly in supposed areas they group control.

Deputy Presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said that while the government’s intention was to stop illegal activities of the rebel group, the AFP has limitations and doesn’t have the resources to guard all hot spots in the country.

“Given the limitations of the forces that we have, the military cannot be in all hot spots of the insurgents, that is the reason for our call to local candidates to provide us with information that would help the AFP in their operations,” Valte said.

The Palace official also appealed to candidates campaigning for the May 13 elections to reject the demand of the NPA for them to pay “permit-to-campaign” fees.

“We have consistently asked local candidates not to succumb to these demands and to report any of these—for lack of a better word—’requests for payments’ to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) so the proper response can be made in those particular areas,” she said.

Reports said the NPA has been demanding from candidates substantial fees for permission to campaign in the areas where the rebel group operates.

The government ordered the deputation of law enforcement agencies as well as the AFP to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible conduct of the May 13 automated national and local elections.

However, the CPP said the NPA will continue to set up checkpoints within its areas of operations as it reiterated its warning against politicians who want to campaign within their strongholds not to carry firearms.

“The CPP reiterated its order for the NPA to enforce the prohibition against the bearing of firearms by election candidates and their escorts while campaigning in areas within the jurisdiction of the people’s democratic government,” the CPP said.

The CPP said that the “NPA can set up checkpoints or roadblocks as part of its retinue of measures to maintain peace and order and ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of the masses against the dirty and violent conduct of the reactionary elections.”

The AFP deployed a battalion of Marines in Misamis Oriental following the ambush against Guingona that resulted in the killing of three of her aides.

Maj. Leo Bongosia, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (ID), confirmed the deployment of an additional battalion of Marines in Misamis Oriental but claimed that the sending of fresh troops in the area was primarily meant for the upcoming May 13 elections and not specifically due to the ambush against Mrs Guingona.

“That’s true. The AFP added troops in Misamis Oreintal but the reason behind that is not because of what happened to Mayor Ruthie Guingona but the primary thrusts given to the additional troops is for the incoming elections,” said Bongosia.

However, Bongosia admitted that the deployment of fresh troops in Misamis Oreintal was only decided after President Aquino’s pronouncement for the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to dismantle New People’s Army (NPA) checkpoints in various parts of the country.

“Not necessarily in response to the ambush but in general situation in Misamis Oriental,” said Bongosia.

Bognovia admitted that 4th ID troops are “thin in numbers” considering their deployment.

“There is some gap…so we have to fill in that gap,” said Bongosia.

The NPA admitted responsibility over the ambush against Mrs Guingona’s group last Saturday night along Barangay Binakalan, Ginggoog City. Three civilian aides of the mayor were killed while she and a policeman-escort were wounded.

The military spokesman stressed that the 4th ID welcomed the additional troops as huge boost for the conduct of security and development operations in the area and also for the maintenance of peaceful and orderly elections next month.

Bongosia said that a battalion of Marines will be arriving in Misamis Oriental by today or Thursday.

The Marines, Bongosia said, would be placed under the operational control of the 4th ID, led by Maj. Gen. Nestor Anonuevo.

Presently, the Army’s 58th Infantry Battlion (IB) is the one responsible over Misamis Oriental province.

For his part, Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz urged political candidates to coordinate with government security forces when campaigning.

“Before they go to certain places, we should be informed beforehand and we will provide area security and route security along their route,” said Cruz, who has direct supervision over 4th ID.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/13289-reds-dare-noy-to-remove-all-rebel-checkpoints