‘Left groups’ link to NPA confirmed’

From the Visayan Daily Star (Sep 26, 2019): ‘Left groups’ link to NPA confirmed’

An initial 300 of the 2,510 former allies of the New People’s Army, who surrendered on Sept. 20 during the Northern Negros Peace Summit in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, have confirmed the links of several leftist organizations to the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA- National Democratic Front, Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo yesterday revealed.

Arevalo said the former NPA allies, who used to be members of leftist organizations, are more than willing to sign affidavits to that effect.

The National Democratic Front-Negros earlier slammed Arevalo for the implementation of what it called a “hoax” peace summit in Escalante City, and for filing charges against arrested activists, who were preparing the tribute for the Escalante massacre anniversary on Sept 20.

The recent arrest of eight activists, tagged as NPA rebels, yielded Molotov bombs, assorted guns, and explosives in Brgy. Jonob-Jonob, Escalante City.

“We are not Red-tagging, just telling the truth,” Arevalo said, in response to accusations against them of linking leftist and militant organizations to the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Arevalo said he is willing to participate in any congressional or Senate hearing, should there be any, to look into the revelations of former NPA allies in Negros, that he described as the “biggest scandal” he ever knew.

He added that they have documentary evidences, and witnesses to talk about it.

The Carmelite JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation), Alternative Solidarity Initiative Network (ASIN) and JPIC Franciscan Brothers of Charity, in a joint statement, slammed what they called a distortion of historical truths in the celebration of the Escalante massacre, that was organized by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the National Police, in cooperation with local government executives, as well as the arrest of eight activists.

The marking of the Escalante massacre (ESCAM) also coincided with the three-day Northern Negros Peace Summit hosted by the City of Escalante, headed by Mayor Melecio Yap, and highlighted by the surrender of 2,510 former NPA allies in northern and central Negros, who turned in 41 assorted firearms.

The religious groups called the peace summit a “sham” that, they claimed, robbed the people of the celebration of the true spirit of ESCAM, while NDF-Negros called the peace summit a hoax.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/September/26/topstory5.htm