NPA justifies recent attacks, vows more offensives under Noy gov’t

From the Daily Tribune (May 13): NPA justifies recent attacks, vows more offensives under Noy gov’t

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) had justified that the newly transferred 17th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army was ambushed by a unit of New People’s Army (NPA) in Kalinga last May 8.

Initial field reports received by the Lejo Cawilan Command indicated that the incident took place at the roadside of Sitio Patiking, Bagumbayan, Tabuk, when Red fighters fired upon a lone army vehicle. Two soldiers were killed, six were wounded, and the NPA unit carted away one M16 rifle, along with other logistics.

The Philippine Army unit included an intelligence officer of the 5th Infantry Division, who were among those killed.

Philippine Army units in Kalinga were dispatched in areas believed to be strongholds of the NPA, as part of the Aquino government’s campaign to malign and defeat legal and progressive party-lists, in clear violation of Comelec guidelines.

The NDFP claimed that these units have been destroying campaign paraphernalia of these party-lists, and are posting materials against the same.

The communist group also called 5ID spokesman Col. Magundayao a big liar, as he claimed that the ambush took place on the morning of May 9, and that the army unit was part of a convoy of Philippine National Police and Comelec delegation, dispatched to deliver (election counting) PCOS machines in Lubuagan.

“The AFP is covering-up a tactical error, and is using the 13 May elections to villify the NPA, depicting the real people’s army as ‘enemies of democracy,’” the said.

“Malacañang was quick to believe its running dogs in the AFP, and condemned the NPA declaring, as always, that they ‘will pursue and punish the perpetrators.’ The 17th IB is also spreading lies in Kalinga that the ambush was planned by progressive party-lists, and a vice-gubernatorial candidate.

Philippine Army units have long been conducting special operations team-type (SOT) internal security operations (ISO), now called ‘Peace and Development Team’ (PDT) operations, under Oplan Bayanihan,” it added.

The NDFP also belied AFP’s claims that troops involved in these operations are non-combatants and that they only implement projects. “But in fact these PDTs are deodorized SOT units, implementing triad operations that include combat, intelligence and civil-military components, and as such, are regular targets of all NPA units,” the insurgents group stressed.

The NDFP added that these PDTs have long been violating International Humanitarian Laws (IHL), the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws (CAHRIHL), and certain provisions of the Indigenous People’s Rights Law.

“PDTs are based in barangay halls, day care centers, or in houses at the center of the barrio (village).

They use civilian vehicles and force civilians to procure and/or deliver supplies, logistics and communications,” it said.

“The NPA will continue to launch tactical offensives against the AFP and PNP, the primary instruments of the Aquino regime in mocking so-called democratic processes such as elections, the main culprits in perpetrating human rights violations, and the security forces of big business interests in the province such as corporate mining, and geothermal and hydro-electric projects,” the rebel group said.

“We will intensify attacks because of the Aquino regime’s junking of the peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the GRP,” the NDFP added.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/14059-npa-justifies-recent-attacks-vows-more-offensives-under-noy-gov’t