Nine NorSamar Dist 2 LGUs reject CPP-NPA

From the Philippine Information Agency (Oct 23, 2019): Nine NorSamar Dist 2 LGUs reject CPP-NPA (By 20IB, 8ID, PA)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar - Nine out of ten municipalities in the Second Congressional District of Northern Samar have passed resolutions declaring the CPP-NPA as persona non grata.

These municipalities are San Roque which was the first to make the declaration, Gamay, Catubig, Las Navas, Silvino Lubos, Laoang, Mapanas, Pambujan and Lapinig.

Moreover, seven barangays of San Roque, namely, Bantayan, Balnasan, Coroconog, Malobago, Pagsang-an, Lawaan and Ginagdanan also passed a similar declaration.

As of this writing, only the town of Palapag in the Pacific has yet to declare the CPP-NPA-NDF as persona non grata.

The declaration showed that the people of Northern Samar can no longer tolerate the intimidation, deceit, and extortion activities brought about by the CPP-NPA-NDF.

For 2019 alone, various atrocities/activities by the CPP-NPA-NDF were recorded.

• Shooting incident on Army personnel conducting community works in Brgy. Quirino, Las Navas, Northern Samar on April 13, 2019;

• Ambush on two (2) Army personnel while conducting a survey with the Corps of Engineers on the proposed road project in Brgy Catoto-ogan, Las Navas, Northern Samar on April 15, 2019;

• The killing of Jay Raymunde, then a 10-year old who was lobbed by an IED in Brgy. San Miguel, Las Navas, Northern Samar on April 17, 2019;

• Harassment on Army personnel conducting community support program in Brgy. San Francisco, Las Navas, Northern Samar on April 23, 2019;

• The killing of Hon. Apolinario Lebico, Barangay Chairman of San Miguel, Las Navas, Northern Samar on April 25, 2019;

• Attack on Army patrol base securing Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project in Brgy. EJ Dulay, Laoang, Northern Samar on May 21, 2019;

• Harassment on Poponton Detachment, Las Navas, Northern Samar on August 9 and 11, 2019; and

• Series of anti-government demonstrations/rally utilizing women, children, elderly and PWD in the municipality of Las Navas, Northern Samar by the communist NPA front organizations like Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas-Karapatan, Northern Samar Small Farmers Association, SAGUPA, and APKLAS. They call for the pullout of the military in Las Navas but silent on the atrocities of NPA.

Meanwhile, during the series of speaking engagements, Lieutenant Colonel Juan Gullem, 20th Infantry Battalion commander shared his knowledge about the real situation on the ground.

He said, most of the armed rebels in the mountains did not even finish elementary or high school. Such that, they are the ones vulnerable for recruitment due to agitation, lies, and deception by the communist NPA terrorist cadres. Worse, these cadres are living luxuriously using the extorted money.

“Bagama’t ang CPP-NPA-NDF ay persona non grata or hindi tanggap sa bahaging ito ng Northern Samar dahil sa teroristang gawain, dapat natin intindihin na ang mga NPA ay biktima lang din. Kaya kung meron man sa kanila na gustong magbago ng landas at tahaking mamuhay ng payapa kapiling ang kanilang pamilya at mahal sa buhay, nakahanda po tayong tumulong para sila ay alalayan sa kanilang pagbabalik-loob sa ating pamahalaan,” he added. (20IB, 8ID, PA)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1029119