CPP: Strike at AFP units carrying out suppression ops under guise of "election duty"--CPP

From the CPP Website (May 12): Strike at AFP units carrying out suppression ops under guise of "election duty"--CPP

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today blasted the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for using the scheduled national elections tomorrow as a camouflage to intensify the militarization of rural communities in line with its Oplan Bayanihan war of suppression. The CPP called on the NPA to seize the initiative and strike at AFP units engaging in intimidation against the people.

The CPP lauded the New People’s Army in the Kalinga province for successfully launching an ambush last May 8 against the 17th IB under the 5th ID in Sitio Patiking, Bagumbayan, Tabuk. Two soldiers were killed while six others were wounded. The NPA unit seized an M-16 rifle and other logistics.

Last May 10, the NPA command in Sorsogon province also successfully carried out an ambush against a SWAT unit of the Philippine National Police in Barangay Bato, Bacon District. At least five armed policemen were wounded in the ambush.

“The reactionary state armed and police forces are using their so-called election duties to transgress into areas where they suspect the masses to be actively supporting and waging democratic mass struggles to intimidate the people, campaign for their favored candidates and against the progressive parties and candidates they claim to be sympathetic to the revolutionary cause,” said the CPP.

“They serve as armed escorts of the political rascals who engage in intimidation and vote-buying in their desperate effort to gain seats in the reactionary bureaucracy,” pointed out the CPP.

“The claim made by Malacañang that the AFP unit was escorting election counting machines is a complete lie,” said the CPP. “The 17th ID was scouring areas which they suspect to be a strongholds of the revolutionary movement. They were tearing down posters and election paraphernalia of progressive candidates and party-list groups in a vain effort to intimidate people against voting for these organizations which they accuse without proof of being supporters of the armed revolutionary movement.”

“They take advantage of the opportunity to enter into the revolutionary areas in order to recruit anti-social elements and organize their intelligence networks,” added the CPP. “Under the pretext of guarding the elections, AFP combat units are being deployed in areas where the people are active in democratic struggles and revolutionary mass resistance,” said the CPP.

“It is the duty of all NPA units to stay on high alert and strike at every opportunity to prevent the AFP units from intimidating the masses to vote for their favored politician, typically those who line up the pockets of their commanders.”

“As always, the NPA will carry out these armed tactical offensives giving priority to the protection of unarmed civilians,” pointed out the CPP.

“These NPA tactical offensives do not aim to disrupt the reactionary elections, as there is no point for doing so,” added the CPP. “The Monday elections have been sufficienty exposed as a farce by the dynastic reactionary politicians from the national to the local levels who have made a complete mockery of the so-called democratic political exercise.”

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20130512_strike-at-afp-units-carrying-out-suppression-ops-under-guise-of-election-duty-cpp