Party-list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis listed as allies
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IB) yesterday claimed the Panay chapter of the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, admitted one of their primary purposes is to fill the ranks of the New People’s Army (NPA).
According to an NDF statement, which was intercepted by 303IB, NDF-Panay spokesperson Maria Concepcion ‘Concha’ Araneta-Bocala stated: “Members of the Kabataang Makabayan, Makibaka, PKM (Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Magbubukid), Revolutionary Council of Trade Unions, and allied organizations of the NDF have continually filled in the ranks of the NPA immersing themselves with the masses in the countryside and cities while others perform underground work in urban areas.”
Other NDF-allied organizations named in the statement include party-list groups Anakpawis and Bayan Muna.
303IB commander, Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, called the statement “very revealing” and “clearly proves the NDF is in cahoots with the NPA contrary to what they are saying.”
“The NPA was already declared by our government, the United States, and European Union as a terrorist organization,” he explained. “Therefore, based on the statement of Araneta, the primary source of terrorists—extortionists—in the country is the NDF.”
Arevalo also accused the NDF of “hiding under the cloak of legalities but, in essence, doing illegal acts;” along with violating RA 9372, or the Human Security Act of 2007, which presents the penalties to those who conspire to commit terrorism.
The 303IB commander went on to slam the NDF and their allies for not condemning the killings perpetrated by the NPA, including the recent murder of Moises Padilla Municipal Councilor Jolomar Hilario, among other cases.
“I have been challenging Karapatan since last year to condemn even a single killing by the NPA but they never did—why?” Arevalo asked. “Because they are in cahoots with the NPA.”
“Let me renew my challenge to the bogus human rights advocates to condemn even a single killing perpetrated by the NPA,” he added. “I’ve been waiting and am still waiting.”/DGB, WDJ