DILG Secretary Eduardo Año. (File photo)
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged the local government units (LGUs) that declared the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) persona non grata “not to succumb to the terrorist group's threats and remain steadfast” in the government's drive to end armed conflict in the country.
"We have a committed ally in no less than President Rodrigo Duterte. Now is not the time to fear; now is the time to take a stand against these CTGs to show them that we will not be a party to their plot against the government and our democratic way of life," DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in a statement on Thursday.
"Huwag tayong papasindak sa kanila (Let’s not get intimidated by them). That's exactly what they want and have been their mission, to sow fear among Filipinos through their illegal acts," he added.
Año assured the LGUs that local units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are ready to provide additional security to threatened local officials and intensify security measures in their areas.
He also pushed for other LGUs to declare the NPA persona non grata in their localities to send a strong message to the enemy.
"Gaya ng patuloy naming sinasabi, hindi ito kaya ng pamahalaan mag-isa, kailangan namin ang tulong ng mga pamahalaang lokal at mga mamamayan kasama na lahat ng stakeholders (Like what we have been saying all along, the government alone cannot do this. We need the help of every LGU and residents as well as other stakeholders" the DILG Secretary stressed.
According to Año, Mayor Romy Salvame of Taytay, Palawan confirmed that "he and other town officials have received death threats from the NPA" after passing a resolution in May 2019 declaring the group as persona non grata in the town.
In a statement posted on its official website, the Salvador Luminoso-Bienvenido Vallever Command-based in Palawan said that they "will punish the municipal officials of Taytay" and other LGUs which had passed resolutions declaring the NPA as persona non grata.
"What Mayor Salvame and the LGU of Taytay experienced was a clear testament that the NPA will go to great lengths to wreak havoc and fear among our people," Año said.
The DILG chief said he is commending the Taytay, Palawan LGU for not retracting their resolution and 'sticking to their guns' despite the brash threats from the CPP-NPA.
Records show that at least 270 local government units have already declared the NPA persona non grata in their respective localities through a resolution by their councils.
Of the 270 LGUs that have made their stand against the atrocities of the Reds, nine are provinces, 29 are towns, 241 are barangays, and one is a city.
“Unti-unti ng lumiliit ang mundo ng mga NPA dahil mismong ang mga komunidad na ang nagtatakwil sa kanila. Sa mga susunod na araw ay dadami pa ang bilang ng LGUs na makikiisa sa kampanya para sa kapayapaan at para tuldukan ang ilan taon ng panlilinlang ng mga CTGs, (Their (NPA rebels) world gets smaller each day as the people and community turn them away. In the coming days, we expect more LGUs to heed our call and put a stop to all these deceptions committed by communist terrorist groups),” Año said.
He said the DILG will continue to be persistent in achieving President Rodrigo Duterte's goal of eliminating local communist armed conflicts while encouraging CPP-NPA rebels to lay down their arms to become productive members of the society.
In 2019 alone, a total of 425 former rebels from all regions in the country laid down their arms and were granted financial assistance through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program with a cumulative amount of PHP28-million, mostly allotted to livelihood assistance.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1074078
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