2 MIN READ

By ACE ALEGRE
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY— While condemning renewed calls to declare Martial Law, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) hit back at President Rodrigo Duterte for using the New People’s Army (NPA) as an excuse for government’s failures.

“This is a classic deflection tactic to draw away the people’s attention from the government’s inept, uncompassionate and irresponsible actions in the face of the pandemic,” the CPP said after the President took angry swipes against the NPA for alleged attacks against government forces.

According to the CPP, the NPA only defended themselves from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s attacks citing the clash in Himamaylan City on April 15, where three AFP soldiers were reportedly killed. They said the clash happened in the interior areas 10 kilometers away from Barangay Carabalan, where the DSWD was scheduled to distribute “social amelioration” to the residents.

“The 94th IB platoon was clearly on combat operations when they carried out the attack against the NPA. The NPA fighters rightfully defended themselves in battle,” the CPP said.

President Duterte said the military is taking on non-combat roles during the ECQ, like securing distribution of cash assistance.

However, according to the party, the military’s supposed relief work operations “only serve as a cover for their intensified counterinsurgency operations.”

The CPP claimed that the AFP has stepped up its military operations even after Duterte ordered a suspension of operations last March 19 to April 15. They said that the AFP deployed troops to more than 350 barangays in 120 towns for counterinsurgency operations resulting to at least 24 attacks and six aerial bombings.

The Party recalled that on April 26, army fighter jets dropped aerial bombs in the vicinity of Barangay Gasi, in Kiamba town, Sarangani province.  While described by the AFP as “aerial support” for it is relief work, the CPP said it terrorized residents and traumatized children in the area. On that same day, at least two helicopters dropped “surrender leaflets” in Aroroy town, Masbate province.

Similarly, in Sagada and Besao, Mt. Province, helicopters dropped similar leaflets urging residents to report NPA supporter organizations in their villages and encourage their surrenders.

The CPP, which is waging the longest communist revolution in Southeast Asia, said that the President is using the Covid-19 pandemic as a means to impose martial law, adding that “it is something he has long sought to do.”

“[The pandemic] has blown up because of his government’s military-minded response and failure to conduct mass testing,” the party said.

The CPP adds, “imposing martial law will not stop the Covid-19 pandemic but will only cause greater hardships on the people.”

“Duterte wants to kill democracy, at a time when democracy is needed to mobilize the people in a mass campaign of screening and testing to detect and isolate the virus and break its chain of transmission,” it said. # nordis.net