Davao del Norte authorities say NPA is disintegrating
July 12, 2017 at 11:20am
Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao Regional Director Manuel Gaerlan said during the Biz Talk press forum Tuesday, July 11, that the communist groups continue to carry out offensives and conducting illegal activities like extortion where they source their revolutionary taxes from companies and civilians.
"One thing for sure, the NPAs on the ground do not want to abandon their cause because nakikinabang sila. They are earning millions of pesos. I think that's what keeping them really going into a serious peace talk with the government," Gaerlan said.
Gaerlan added, "They exist no longer for the ideology but for the money."
He also said that the statements of the leaders of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines is contrary to what is happening on the ground as the NPA members are still doing their usual operations despite the standing order.
"It's either they are double talking or hindi sila sumusunod sa kanilang leaders na nasa taas (they do not follow their leaders)," he said.
Last August 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire that suspends the military operations against the NPA but the rebels abused the peace offering and even took it as an opportunity to expand their organization and recruit more, Gaerlan said.
As a result, Duterte terminated the ceasefire on February this year and declared an all-out war against the insurgents because of their lack of sincerity to proceed with the peace talk.
"Our President has been sincere in offering a hand of peace to the Communist Party of the Philippines. Nakita po ng pangulo kung panno inabuso nga NPA ang (The president saw how NPA abused the) unilateral ceasefire, nagpalawak ng kanilang (they have widen their) extortion activities. They attack more civilians than military target," he said.
The 10th Infantry Division (ID) Deputy Commander Bienvenido Datuin said their focused military operations remained effective to suppress the local "terrorist" group.
"We are doing our best in as far as ending terrorism (is concern). Tuloy-tuloy naman ito. We haven't let up with our campaign against lawless armed group," he said.
He added that if the left is really in pursuit of peace, they should express their good faith and stop their illegal activities because they noted that their works continue to prevail in different areas of the 10th ID.
"These are the things that they should settle once and for all, dapat yong ground troops must be controlled," Datuin said.
Source: sunstar.com.ph
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