Civilians irked over propaganda materials of communist rebels

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 26): Civilians irked over propaganda materials of communist rebels

Civilians were not happy of hundreds of propaganda materials spread out by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Northern Mindanao Thursday morning.

The civilians have expressed dismay over the tarpaulins and plastic streamers and posters seen hanging on the trees along various municipal and provincial roads in the Northern Mindanao during the occasion of the NPA’s 45th founding anniversary.

Capt. Christian Uy, spokesperson of the army’s Public Affairs Division here, said that the fully- armed communist rebels were also seen boarding public utility vehicles along the national highways in Misamis Oriental at the same time.

He said that the rebels also hung propaganda materials along the highways in the municipal towns of Balingasag toward the neighboring town of Talisayan.

Uy said that the military is observing a unilateral ceasefire with the communist NPA rebels during the observance of the Christmas holidays although all military outposts in Northern Mindanao have been on full alert.

In the municipal towns of Talacogon and Esperanza, all known rebel-infested mountain towns, residents expressed consternation over bundles of plastic leaflets and posters spread over by the communist guerrillas around town.

Major Noli P. Kanashiro, executive officer of the army’s 26th Infantry Battalion based in Agusan del Sur, said that the residents in the two towns picked up and burned all the propaganda materials while the non-biodegradable materials were disposed of accordingly.

Lt. Col. Jose Leonard Gille, commander of the army’s 26th Infantry Battalion dismissed the propaganda materials as “mystical statements” of communistic leadership that glorifies falsehood and criminal acts against innocent people.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=599867