NO TO NPA. An anti-rebel streamer hangs in Las Navas, Northern Samar by villagers during a visit by key Bayan Muna partylist officials on Nov. 11, 2019. A top military official said they would not stop efforts to completely rid the poverty-stricken communities of Las Navas, Northern Samar from the influences of the New People’s Army (NPA) and their front organizations. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army 20th IB)
A top military official said they would not stop efforts to completely rid the poverty-stricken communities of Las Navas, Northern Samar of the influence of the New People’s Army (NPA) and its front organizations.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Ramil Bitong, assistant division commander of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said the effort of the military and other government agencies has been more focused in NPA-infested communities of Las Navas town.
“The communist terrorist group (CTG) thinks that they cannot afford to simply lose Las Navas because it has been traditionally under their clout. Many important people in CTG are still there in Las Navas. The strategic importance is also immense and that is why the effort of the government should be directed and focused in that area,” Bitong said.
He said despite the efforts of the NPA to take control of remote communities, they have been unsuccessful with the full support of local government units to the central government’s anti-insurgency drive.
“What has been happening in the past few months is a positive change and very encouraging. I would like to encourage local governments to continue educating people that working with NPA is senseless,” Bitong added.
Las Navas, a fourth class town in Northern Samar with a population of 38,000, has been the center of propaganda by several organizations linked to the CPP-NPA.
For years, left-leaning groups have been accusing government forces of human rights violations, militarization, extra-judicial killings, mass evacuation, among others, according to the Philippine Army.
In a statement posted on their unit's social media account, Lt. Col. Juan Gullem, Philippine Army 20th Infantry Battalion commander, said rebels have been strengthening their mobilization, anti-government rallies, and propaganda activities to impress among the masses the legitimacy of NPA attacks.
“The communist terrorist group has organized a series of anti-government demonstrations utilizing women, children, elderly and persons with disability in Las Navas, Northern Samar through the NPA front organizations. They call for the pullout of the military in Las Navas, but silent on the atrocities of NPA,” Gullem said.
He said among the atrocities this year include the detonation of an anti-personnel mine that killed a boy, slaying of a village chief, and attacking soldiers tasked to secure a road project.
The NPA allied organizations tagged by the military are the Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas - Karapatan (rights group), Northern Samar Small Farmers Association, Samahan han Gudti na Parag-uma (group of small farmers), and Alyansya han mga Parag-uma Kontra-gutom han Las Navasnon (alliance of farmers against hunger in Las Navas).
Northern Samar is considered to be the NPA’s stronghold in Eastern Visayas due to poor road network, thick forest, high poverty incidence, and low level of education in upland communities.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1087289
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Ramil Bitong, assistant division commander of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said the effort of the military and other government agencies has been more focused in NPA-infested communities of Las Navas town.
“The communist terrorist group (CTG) thinks that they cannot afford to simply lose Las Navas because it has been traditionally under their clout. Many important people in CTG are still there in Las Navas. The strategic importance is also immense and that is why the effort of the government should be directed and focused in that area,” Bitong said.
He said despite the efforts of the NPA to take control of remote communities, they have been unsuccessful with the full support of local government units to the central government’s anti-insurgency drive.
“What has been happening in the past few months is a positive change and very encouraging. I would like to encourage local governments to continue educating people that working with NPA is senseless,” Bitong added.
Las Navas, a fourth class town in Northern Samar with a population of 38,000, has been the center of propaganda by several organizations linked to the CPP-NPA.
For years, left-leaning groups have been accusing government forces of human rights violations, militarization, extra-judicial killings, mass evacuation, among others, according to the Philippine Army.
In a statement posted on their unit's social media account, Lt. Col. Juan Gullem, Philippine Army 20th Infantry Battalion commander, said rebels have been strengthening their mobilization, anti-government rallies, and propaganda activities to impress among the masses the legitimacy of NPA attacks.
“The communist terrorist group has organized a series of anti-government demonstrations utilizing women, children, elderly and persons with disability in Las Navas, Northern Samar through the NPA front organizations. They call for the pullout of the military in Las Navas, but silent on the atrocities of NPA,” Gullem said.
He said among the atrocities this year include the detonation of an anti-personnel mine that killed a boy, slaying of a village chief, and attacking soldiers tasked to secure a road project.
The NPA allied organizations tagged by the military are the Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas - Karapatan (rights group), Northern Samar Small Farmers Association, Samahan han Gudti na Parag-uma (group of small farmers), and Alyansya han mga Parag-uma Kontra-gutom han Las Navasnon (alliance of farmers against hunger in Las Navas).
Northern Samar is considered to be the NPA’s stronghold in Eastern Visayas due to poor road network, thick forest, high poverty incidence, and low level of education in upland communities.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1087289
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.