CPP/NDF-Visayas: Resist intensifying militarization and surrender campaign in Northern Samar

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2021): Resist intensifying militarization and surrender campaign in Northern Samar

NDF-EASTERN VISAYAS

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT OF THE PHILIPPINES

JUNE 21, 2021

Read in: Waray

The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas (NDF-EV) called on the people of Northern Samar to resist the intensifying militarization and forced surrender campaign by the 8th Infantry Division.

Citing recent reports from the People’s Democratic Government, the NDF-EV said that the 8th ID has been launching simultaneous combat-intelligence-psywar operations guised as Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) in at least 42 barrios in five towns of the province.

The masses complained that soldiers camp in barrios for months to harass, interrogate and threaten residents into surrendering. They cause infighting among them by lying that their fellow residents have betrayed them and then offering “surrender benefits.” They badger anyone who has the slightest connection to the NPA, including distant relatives, former Red fighters who have retired for decades, and sickly and elderly former revolutionaries. “Surrenderers” are then made to join military operations and name other residents whom they will also force to surrender.

Such is the terrorism caused by the soldiers that many civilians have been forced to “surrender”. In Brgy. E. Duran, Bobon alone, more than a hundred residents were coerced to “surrender” since the military intensified its campaign last year and then again in March of this year.

The NDF-EV said that the 8th ID is growing more desperate to achieve their deadline against the New People’s Army in the region and is thus resorting to worse state terrorism and targeting civilians. Its higher officials including Duterte have been pestering the 8th ID to do any means necessary to finish the NPA in Eastern Visayas, including harming civilians and violating international humanitarian law.

But the 8th ID cannot defeat the NPA and will only be waging useless battles because their resources remain limited in the midst of the economic crisis, the government is drowning in debt, their officials swindle funds out of the military’s budget, and their troops are increasingly demoralized after suffering successive defeats against the people’s army.

The NDF-EV urged all the peasant masses in Eastern Visayas to unite and intensify their resistance against the soldiers’ occupation of their communities. They have no other recourse but to expose and oppose the military’s abuses. They must wage all forms of struggle to hold the fascist criminals accountable and evict the soldiers for causing trouble and hardship in their communities.#

https://cpp.ph/statements/resist-intensifying-militarization-and-surrender-campaign-in-northern-samar/