NPA belies Army claim of 'successful' operation in CamNorte

From GMA News (Mar 16): NPA belies Army claim of 'successful' operation in CamNorte

Communist rebels on Thursday belied the military's claim of killing a rebel and seizing a high-powered firearm and ammunition during a clash in Camarines Norte the previous day.

In a statement, Carlito Cada, spokesperson for the New People's Army (NPA) in the province, said the fatality was a farmer named Obina who was executed by government soldiers on suspicion that he is an NPA member.

"There was no encounter between the Philippine Army and any unit of the Armando Catapia Command of the New People’s Army in Camarines Norte," Cada said. "This was also refuted by the residents of Barangay Itok."

In a post on Facebook, the Philippine Army's 9th Infantry Division said troops shot and killed one NPA member and recovered one M16A4 rifle and several bullets after an encounter in Barangay Itok in the town of Capalonga on March 15 at 5:30 a.m.

Cada said the actions of the military can be attributed to President Rodrigo Duterte's Oplan Kapayapaan, which he said has killed a minimum of three farmers per week.

"Like the past operational plans of the previous regimes, this proves that the fascist government has complete disregard for the lives of innocent civilians," he said.

Meanwhile, Cada said the Army is used to making false accusations and to executing civilians so they can "instill fear in the common people, in its futile and failed target of steering away the people from the revolutionary movement."

He added the Army also uses this modus to cover up for their failed operations.

"It is also part of the hustle of submitting reports of so-called successful operations, so as to cover up their failure in defeating the NPA," Cada said.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/603566/news/regions/npa-belies-army-claim-of-successful-operation-in-camnorte