Saturday, May 2, 2015

ROUND-UP | 79 CPP-NPA-NDF leaders arrested from 2011 to March 2015

From InterAksyon (Apr 30): ROUND-UP | 79 CPP-NPA-NDF leaders arrested from 2011 to March 2015

Apparent complacency and slackened vigilance on the part of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), its armed wing New People's Army (NPA) and negotiating arm National Democratic Front (NDF), coupled by stepped-up intelligence operations by the government's security establishment, contributed to the neutralization of at least 79 high-ranking rebels, a confidential briefing document indicated.

The outcome, covering the period 2011 to March 2015, was spelled out in a joint military and police document marked "confidential" obtained by InterAksyon.com

From January to March 31 alone this year, nine communist leaders from the national, regional and front levels were either arrested or killed in intelligence and combat operations launched by the military and police.

The data showed that, from 2011 to 2014, a total of 70 communist leaders were neutralized as the result of armed encounters with government troops.

The list also indicated that some of these communist leaders opted to surrender when cornered.

In 2012, 10 rebel leaders were arrested, followed by 19 in 2013 and 34 in 2014.

On Monday this week, NDF chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni announced that peace talks with the government may resume in May as long as the government releases from jail 16 of its "peace consultants" including Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma Austria-Tiamzon, vice chairman/acting chairman of the CPP and CPP secretary general/CPP head national finance commission, respectively.

AFP chief of staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said he believed the arrest of the Tiamzons was a big blow to the 46 years old communist armed struggle, the longest in Asia, and led to a "leadership vacuum" in the CPP-NPA-NDF.

The Tiamzons are currently detained at the Philippine National Police's (PNP) Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Last week, Catapang welcomed the suggestion of Jalandoni for the resumption of peace talks.

Jalandoni had claimed the supposed armed strength of the NPA has reached 10,000, more than twice the military's estimate of only more or less 4,000 fighters.

"You know that's part of the CPP-NPA-NDF propaganda, to bloat the number of their NPA comrades. Over the last 10 years, more particularly the last five years, the NPA had lost and is continuing to lose what they called their 'mass base' as a result of the extensive implementation of the AFP's Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan.

"Many areas throughout the country have already been liberated from CPP-NPA-NDF influence, the latest of which is the province of Albay in Bicol Region. As I said before, countryside development will kill the communist movement," AFP spokesman and Civil Relations Service (CRS) Chief Brigadier General Joselito Kakilala said.

In February 2011, the NDF turned its back on the negotiating table as it accused the government of tolerating the military and police move of arresting its "peace consultants" and thus violating the Joint Agreement on Security and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

But the government stood pat on its position that those being arrested had nothing to do with the peace talks, besides being the subject of standing arrest warrants for a string of alleged criminal cases filed in courts against them.

Other neutralized high-ranking communist leaders include: Bicol Regional Party Committee spokesman, Greg Banares; Christine Puche alias Abby, Editor Dagundong ng Bikol; Ramer Añonuevo, Head, National SOG; Arnel Balucas alias Layab, PO/Secretary, KLG Northeast, Ilocos Cordillera Regional Committee (ICRC); Agaton Topacio alias Cosme, Former CO, ROC, Central Luzon Regional Committee; Jesus Porquez alias Edcel, Chief, Regional Special Operations Group, ROC, Komiteng Rehiyon, Panay; Reniel Cellon alias Kumpol/Gogo/Randy/ Niel VCO, Apolinario "Boy" Gatmaitan Command, Komiteng Rehiyon Negros; Helen Iloria alias Inyang, Finance Officer & Former Secretary, Regional White Area Committee, Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee and Maria Loyda Tuzo Magpatoc alias Gwen/Hero, Secretary, Far South Mindanao Region and Vincent Estrada, Head of Instructor's Bureau of Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/109741/79-cpp-npa-ndf-leaders-arrested-from-2011-to-march-2015

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.