Help national govt finish off NPA’- Samar officials
JG June 17, 2023
An outspoken chief executive in Northern Samar has urged his fellow local elected officials to come out in the open and lead their constituents to support the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) campaign to finish off the New People’s Army (NPA) in their respective municipalities before the end of 2023.
At the same time, Matuguinao Mayor Aran Boller also urged the national government to take legal actions against politicians who may be found guilty of coddling communist terrorists in their own communities.
“Dapat na itong mabigyan ng pansin. Ang nakikita ko naman, meron pa ring mga mayor na hindi lang takot, nagsusuporta pa. Ito na (ang) mabigyan ng pansin ng gobyerno na magkaroon na ng legal action na dapat nating ibigay sa kanila na mag-act naman sila as chairman ng municipality ng NTF-ELCAC condemning the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA lalo na itong ginawa sa Las Navas,” said Boller.
For his part, 8th Infantry Division chief Major General Camilo Ligayo is confident the remaining NPA fronts, both active and weakened, would be history “by the 3rd quarter” or “end of the year”.
Ligayo has warned some people in government who continue to support the CTGs that the long arms of the law will soon catch them.
“…Hindi lang mga barangay captain, pati mga teachers. Mga kasamahan natin na kakaunti naman sila na sumusuporta sa kabila and ‘yon ang mahirap. Bumabagal tayo dahil sa kanila kasi sumusuporta nga sila do’n sa kabila. Ako kasi hindi ako nagre-redtag, kasi sa political spectrum may left talaga at may right. But, ako, I tag those who are in the government na nagsusuporta sa kabila as traydor. I call them traitors,” he said.
Just recently, an NPA landmine killed two civilian workers of an ongoing farm-to-market road project in Barangay Magsaysay in Las Navas town.
Boller lamented that in his municipality alone numerous political leaders were also targets of NPA violence. “Ang dami dito sa Matuguinao na pinatay ng NPA. Yong dalawang mayor nga dito nagkakampanya, yong isa kinukuha yung patay, inambush nang kalaban-laban. Karumaldumal na dapat tapusin na itong mga hinayupak, hudas, at anay ng gobyerno.”
Without naming names during a virtual press conference earlier this week, Boller said it only takes “political will” by supporting and cooperating with security forces to rid their communities of communist terrorist groups (CTGs), both armed and their front organizations.
The mayor said he is still hopeful that the NPA remnants will make it a mission for themselves to make it home, rejoin their families and mainstream society for a peaceful life.
“Kung hindi man sila mabalik sa gobyerno, bahala na sila kung saan sila mapunta, sa impyerno. Basta ang importante ay matapos na natin itong kalokohang pinaglalaban ng teroristang NPA,” he said.
He also urged his fellow officials not to bite the hands that feed them.
“Dapat tapusin na ito at itong mga local governments na kagaya ko na nasa Norte, apektado pa na meron pang NPA, dapat makonsensiya na sila. Pinagsuswelduhan sila ng gobyerno, walang ginagawa. You see, dapat bigyan na natin ito ng leksyon itong mga mayors, barangay captains.,” he said.
“So dapat itong mga mayors na ayaw pa rin tumulong sa mga kasundaluhan at kapulisan ay mabigyan na ng legal actions na mag-act naman sila kung ano ang mga policies o rules na ginawa ng national government,” he pointed out.