NPA Denies Moises Padilla Threat Letters ‘Poll Bets Can Just Campaign Anywhere’

From the Negros Daily Bulletin (May 8): NPA Denies Moises Padilla Threat Letters ‘Poll Bets Can Just Campaign Anywhere’

The New People’s Army (NPA) finally denied having to do with the letters threatening some candidates and their supporters in Moises Padilla town in central Negros Occidental from campaigning.

At the same time, the NPA assured Barangay 1 (Poblacion) Kagawad Agustin Grande in the town that he and his group can campaign anytime and anywhere, assuring him that the NPA will not prevent them.

A May 1, 2013 statement from Amor Sierra of the Media Liaison Bureau of the NPA’s Apolinario "Boy" Gatmaitan Command (AGC)-Bagong Hukbong Bayan (BHB) Negros was obtained by NDB in Barangay San Agustin, Isabela, Negros Occ.

In the statement, the NPA accused "the combined forces of the AFP-PNP personnel, RPA-ABB (Kapatiran) under the wings of the incumbent town mayor (Francisco Nazareno) as part of the Special Operation."

The NPA, in the four-page statement written in the vernacular bearing the NPA-BHB logo, said the supposed NPA letters mailed individually to about 11 candidates and their supporters in Moises Padilla (Magallon) were fake.

The letters were warning recipients against campaigning unless they are willing to risk their lives.

Almost all those who were sent the fake letters belong to the camp of mayoralty candidate Ella Garcia and her vice mayoralty tandem Edwin Presquito, and their supporters that include Bayan Muna and Teddy Casiño for senator campaigner Kgd. Grande.

In correcting some details in the fake NPA letters, the Boy Gatmaitan Command said "Kagawad Grande of Brgy. 1 must not worry. We salute you in your stand to support Bayan Muna party-list and in campaigning for Teddy Casiño."

"The NPA respects your stand and your participation in the election. The NPA believes that revolution and not election is the solution," the statement added.

"Go ahead, campaign anywhere and in the hinterlands, the NPA will not bother you. If ever something will happen to you, only the AFP-PNP can do that," the statement said.

"The AGC-NPA has already released a statement that politicians and candidates can campaign in the hinterlands as long as they will not bring any unit of the AFP-PNP, etc.," it added.

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