NPAs DID IT // Says Former NPA Commander, to Generate Funds

Posted to DWDD AFP Civil Relations Service Radio Website (Nov 15): NPAs DID IT // Says Former NPA Commander, to Generate Funds

CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City (DWDD) – Mr Julieto Canoy, a former NPA Guerilla Front and Finance Secretary, whose area of operation covers the whole Municipality of Sibagat and Northern portion of Agusan del Sur says his former comrades burned the teacher’s cottage.

Canoy said that his contacts in Sibagat saw the NPA led by Ka Batic Campoz together with Jazon Flores and Arsenio Mandag went to Sitio Bolonbon, Brgy Padiay, Sibagat the night before they burned down the teacher’s cottage.

He said, “NPA allied organization immediately blamed the Army about the burning. This is our usual strategy to destroy the soldier’s image and also to generate fund. We have to create a condition that the soldiers are violators of Human Rights and are attacking the Lumads. This unfortunate situation of the IPs will attract attention of foreign NGOs. NPA cohorts will now use this situation to solicit support from these foreign NGOs.”

Meanwhile, witnesses disclosed during the joint investigation conducted by the PNP and Bureau of Fire Protection today, November 14, 2015, that they saw six (6) unidentified men wearing long-sleeves, pants and rain boots burned down the teacher’s cottage at around 2am last November 12, 2015.

Further, the witnesses also said that the school was already abandoned since September 2015. This contradicts the statement of Inday Espina-Varona that there are 24 students and 10 teachers in the said school. It can be recalled that the witnesses reported the incident to the barangay officials at around 6am on Nov 12.

However, Inday Varona immediately released information at around 8:30 am accusing the soldiers the same day even without proper investigation.

Col Alexander Macario, Commander of 401st Infantry Brigade said, “This brings everyone to a question on where she gets information. Aside from the witnesses, the only persons who can give this information are the perpetrators. It seems that this incident is planned and orchestrated.”

“The NPA and their allied militant organization are the ones who can greatly benefit from this incident by using it as propaganda against the military. Hence, there is no doubt that they are behind it.

They have tried it in Brgy White Kulaman, Kitaotao, Bukidnon when they burned houses and tried to blame it on the military but was belied by residents led by Brgy Capt Felipe Cabugnason. They also attempted to burn the MISFI School in the same barangay but were averted by the residents.” Col Macario concluded CMO402 IBde / MCAG

http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/npas-did-it-says-former-npa-commander-to-generate-funds/