Agusan residents join rally vs rebels

From the Manila Standard Today (Oct 23): Agusan residents join rally vs rebels

Some 500 residents of Veruela town held a rally to denounce atrocities sown by suspected New People’s Army rebels.

The demonstration on Sunday was attended by former NPA rebels, peasants, religious leaders, teachers, students, tribal leaders and businessmen.

In a statement forwarded and e-mailed to this writer, Army 4th Infantry Division spokesman Major Christian Uy said “Ka Frits”, a former Political Instructor of Guerilla Front 3 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee operating in Veruela and Sta Josefa towns, all of  Agusan del Sur province and in Monkayo, Compostela Valley admitted having been wrong all along in going underground to overthrow the government.

“I was deceived by the CPP-NPA-NDF members. I was used by the NPAs to organize the masses to whom I also deceived to fight the Government, forgive me,” he said in a public confession.

Uy claimed another former NPA Commander “Ka Ariel”, who formerly led a Platoon Guerilla Unit of Guerilla Front 3 warned the peace rally participants that those who wanted to join the NPA will just waste time.

“I call on my former comrades who still act as puppets of corrupt NPA commanders to surrender because the real democracy has long been existing in the mainstream society,” he was quoted as saying.

But in a statement from the NPA Guerilla Front 3 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee said the two former comrades were themselves misguided.

“They were brainwashed by another liar, the AFP, who are not really serving the true interests and welfare of the Filipino people but their boss corrupt politicians and government who are only enriching themselves, leaving many Filipinos living in the quagmire of poverty suffering social and legal injustices from the government they are supposed to be protected,” the group said.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/10/23/agusan-residents-join-rally-vs-rebels/