ANTI-NPA RESOLUTIONS. Copies of resolutions declaring the New People's Army (NPA) as persona non grata have been issued by nine towns in Northern Samar. The seven violent activities committed by rebels this year have prompted local government units to denounce the communist terrorist group, the Philippine Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion said in a statement on Tuesday (Oct. 22, 2019). (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Army’s 20IB)
Nine out of 10 towns in the second legislative district of Northern Samar have declared the New People’s Army (NPA) as persona non grata, a strong indication that people in the rebel group’s stronghold province reject the NPA ideology, the Philippine Army has reported.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Philippine Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion (20IB) based in Las Navas, Northern Samar welcomed the move of these local government units to denounce the atrocities of the communist terrorist group.
Just this quarter, the towns that condemned the NPA are San Roque, Gamay, Catubig, Las Navas, Silvino Lubos, Laoang, Mapanas, Pambujan, and Lapinig.
At least seven villages in San Roque town also declared the NPA persona non grata. As of this week, only the town of Palapag in the second district has not formally denounced the rebels.
Lt. Col. Juan Gullem, 20IB commander, said more local governments have been joining the campaign to wipe out insurgency by 2022.
“The people of Northern Samar can no longer tolerate the intimidation, chaos, and extortion activities brought by the Communist Party of the Philippines - NPA. In 2019 alone, various atrocities and activities by the rebels have been recorded,” Gullem said in a statement.
These include the shooting of military personnel doing community works in Quirino village, Las Navas town last April 13. After two days, armed rebels ambushed two soldiers conducting a survey with the Corps of Engineers on the proposed road project in Catoto-ogan village, also in Las Navas.
The incident that sparked public outrage was the death of 10-year-old Jay Raymunde when rebels detonated an anti-personnel mine in San Miguel village, Las Navas on April 17. The village chief was also killed by rebels on April 25.
Also in Las Navas, rebels harassed army personnel engaged in community support programs in San Francisco village on April 23.
Even the army patrol base securing the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project in Dulay village, Laoang, Northern Samar was not spared in the NPA attack on May 21.
The most recent was the assault launched against an army detachment in Poponton village, Las Navas town on August 9 and 11.
“The communist terrorist group has organized a series of anti-government demonstrations utilizing women, children, elderly and persons with disability in Las Navas, Northern Samar through the NPA front organizations. They call for the pullout of the military in Las Navas, but silent on the atrocities of NPA,” Gullem said.
These fronts organizations are the Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas - Karapatan (rights group), Northern Samar Small Farmers Association, Samahan han Gudti na Parag-uma (group of small farmers), and Alyansya han mga Parag-uma Kontra-gutom han Las Navasnon (alliance of farmers against hunger in Las Navas).
Northern Samar is considered to be the NPA’s stronghold in Eastern Visayas due to poor road network, thick forest, high poverty incidence, and low level of education in upland communities.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083885
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Philippine Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion (20IB) based in Las Navas, Northern Samar welcomed the move of these local government units to denounce the atrocities of the communist terrorist group.
Just this quarter, the towns that condemned the NPA are San Roque, Gamay, Catubig, Las Navas, Silvino Lubos, Laoang, Mapanas, Pambujan, and Lapinig.
At least seven villages in San Roque town also declared the NPA persona non grata. As of this week, only the town of Palapag in the second district has not formally denounced the rebels.
Lt. Col. Juan Gullem, 20IB commander, said more local governments have been joining the campaign to wipe out insurgency by 2022.
“The people of Northern Samar can no longer tolerate the intimidation, chaos, and extortion activities brought by the Communist Party of the Philippines - NPA. In 2019 alone, various atrocities and activities by the rebels have been recorded,” Gullem said in a statement.
These include the shooting of military personnel doing community works in Quirino village, Las Navas town last April 13. After two days, armed rebels ambushed two soldiers conducting a survey with the Corps of Engineers on the proposed road project in Catoto-ogan village, also in Las Navas.
The incident that sparked public outrage was the death of 10-year-old Jay Raymunde when rebels detonated an anti-personnel mine in San Miguel village, Las Navas on April 17. The village chief was also killed by rebels on April 25.
Also in Las Navas, rebels harassed army personnel engaged in community support programs in San Francisco village on April 23.
Even the army patrol base securing the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project in Dulay village, Laoang, Northern Samar was not spared in the NPA attack on May 21.
The most recent was the assault launched against an army detachment in Poponton village, Las Navas town on August 9 and 11.
“The communist terrorist group has organized a series of anti-government demonstrations utilizing women, children, elderly and persons with disability in Las Navas, Northern Samar through the NPA front organizations. They call for the pullout of the military in Las Navas, but silent on the atrocities of NPA,” Gullem said.
These fronts organizations are the Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas - Karapatan (rights group), Northern Samar Small Farmers Association, Samahan han Gudti na Parag-uma (group of small farmers), and Alyansya han mga Parag-uma Kontra-gutom han Las Navasnon (alliance of farmers against hunger in Las Navas).
Northern Samar is considered to be the NPA’s stronghold in Eastern Visayas due to poor road network, thick forest, high poverty incidence, and low level of education in upland communities.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083885
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