Army lauds rallies in E. Visayas denouncing NPA

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 30, 2021): Army lauds rallies in E. Visayas denouncing NPA (By Sarwell Meniano)

ANTI-NPA. Residents of Tolosa, Leyte reject the New People's Army (NPA) through a peaceful rally on Monday (March 29, 2021). The Philippine Army lauded various groups in Eastern Visayas for joining the call to denounce the NPA on its 52nd anniversary. (Photo courtesy of Tolosa police station)

The Philippine Army lauded various groups in Eastern Visayas for joining the call to denounce the New People’s Army in its 52nd anniversary on Monday.

Maj.Gen. Pio Diñoso III, commander of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said various groups in provinces have initiated activities to reject the communist terrorist group.

“The successful candle-lighting activities expressed a strong message of condemnation for 52 years of deception, atrocities, killing and destroying the future of our youth. There’s nothing to celebrate about the NPA anniversary,” Diñoso said in a statement.

Candle-lightings and peace rallies were held on Monday in Palo and Tolosa in Leyte; Borongan City and Dolores, Eastern Samar; Catarman, San Roque, Las Navas, Victoria, San Vicente, and Lope de Vega, Northern Samar; Catbalogan City, Pinabacdao, Calbiga, Basey, Matuguinao, and San Jose de Buan, Samar.

“Without the NPA, Eastern Visayas would be more peaceful and progressive. All they did was killing, deceptive recruitment, extortion, and spoiling the government’s development programs,” Diñoso said.

Founded on March 29, 1969, by the collaboration of Jose Maria Sison and former members of the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan led by Bernabe Buscayno, the NPA has since waged a guerrilla war based on the Maoist strategy of protracted people's war.

The CPP-NPA 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/1135383