National Democratic Front of the Philippines
Southern Mindanao
Press Statement
12 January 2013
In both ends of the Southern Mindanao NPA regional territory, the AFP was on active, combat offensive military posture signifying a serious breach of the self-declared ceasefire of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) — an act that could only imperil the GPH-National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace initiatives.
What constituted as a bald-faced ceasefire violation was the incongruity-in-terms “defensive security patrol” by the 10th Special Forces which raided a platoon of the Guerilla Front 53 Herminio Alfonso Command January 10 at 5pm in Upper Tiwayan, Brgy. Badyangun, Arakan, North Cotabato.
The Red fighters were preparing for a mass meeting to discuss the land problem and tactical plans for agrarian revolution campaign, when the fascist AFP troops along with Cafgu paramilitary forces pounced upon them. Strictly abiding the CPP’s extended ceasefire declaration last January 3, the NPA platoon prevailed over the AFP, defended itself from the raid, evaded safely, but left an M14 and personal belongings. The Red fighters were not preparing for an attack as wrongly peddled by the elite 10th SF-SOCOM-AFP in an effort to justify its military offensive. The Special Forces in North Cotabato — previously 5th SF — are notorious human rights violators, responsible for the spate of abusive operations against the peasants, who conspired in the killing of Italian missionary Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio and the civilian, Ramon Batoy in 2011.
Also, on January 9, the 67th Infantry Batallion-10th ID arrested, detained and released after 8 hours of tactical interrogation civilian Pablito Gubaton a Purok chairman of Bangas, Brgy. Mainit, Cateel town. The military accused Gubaton of receiving relief packs from the NPA — a malicious lie to sow intrigue against legal organizations and to prevent these well-meaning groups from giving genuine assistance to the masses. As with its stance against Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the military is intolerant of any organization or individual who wish to assist Pablo-affected victims in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental; it is also prejudiced against the masses that avail of such precious assistance.
The AFP is desperate to turn the Pablo catastrophe suited to its own anti-people and counterrevolutionary machination. It continues to violate human rights of the masses; it treats the masses as fair game to its dirty tactics, its torture and intimidation even if the peasants and workers in the hinterlands are already suffering from Pablo. Its conduct of offensive military operation stays in areas not hit by Pablo, wasting people’s money while its relief and rehabilitation in Pablo-affected areas are sparse and wanting.
Indeed, what the enemy failed to achieve in the counterrevolutionary operations against the People’s Army they desperately try to attain by attacking the fundamental human rights of the people. The AFP-US-Aquino regime is certainly under the illusion that it can sway the people with Oplan Bayanihan as its main anti-poverty, relief and rehabilitation, and peace program in the countryside. If it is unfair and discriminatory against its own public officials, if it is vicious against the masses, if it disparages its self-declared ceasefire agreement and imperils the resumption of peace negotiations, then it should be thoroughly opposed and ousted.
No amount of AFP special operations and treachery can stem the advance of the revolutionary movement. It could only succeed in alienating the AFP, in increasing the ranks of revolutionaries, and in further galvanizing the people’s resolve to struggle against the fascist Aquino regime.
(Sgd.) Rubi del Mundo
Spokesperson
National Democratic Front of the Philippines
Southern Mindanao
