More towns in N. Samar reject Reds

CATARMAN, Northern Samar – More and more local government units (LGU) are coming out to express rejection of communist groups in their respective towns.

In the second congressional district of Northern Samar alone, nine of 10 municipalities have passed resolutions declaring members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, and its armed component unit, the New People’s Army, as persona non grata.

These towns include San Roque, Gamay, Catubig, Las Navas, Silvino Lobos, Laoang, Mapanas, Pambujan and Lapinig. These towns have figured in the news in recent years for skirmishes between the insurgents and the military as well as incidents of mass evacuation due to problems on peace and order especially in remote villages.

San Roque, the first town to pass a such resolution, has seven of its villages making similar declaration.

As of this writing, only the town of Palapag in the Pacific coast has yet to declare the CPP-NPA-NDF as persona non grata.

In declaring CPP-NPA as undesirable people in their towns, the local government units cited among their reasons cases of intimidation, deceit, and extortion done by the rebels. They also complained the killings and harassments committed by NPA against military personnel delivering social services to their communities.

In 2019 alone, among the incidents in Northern Samar they complained were the following:

• Shooting of Army personnel conducting community works in Brgy. Quirino, Las Navas on 13 April 2019;

• Ambush of two Army personnel that were conducting a survey with the Corps of Engineers for the proposed road project in Brgy Catoto-ogan, Las Navas on 15 April 2019;

• The killing of Jay Raymunde, a 10-year old who was hit by a sharpnel from an improvised explosive device in Brgy. San Miguel, Las Navas on 17 April 2019;

• Harassment of Army personnel conducting community support program in Brgy. San Francisco, Las Navas on 23 April 2019;

• The killing of Apolinario Lebico, Barangay chairman of San Miguel, Las Navas, Northern Samar on April 25, 2019;

• Attack on the Army patrol base securing Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project in Brgy. EJ Dulay, Laoang, Northern Samar on 21 May 2019; and

• Harassment of Poponton Detachment in Las Navas on 9 and 11 August 2019.

Lt. Col. Juan Gullem, 20th Infantry Battalion commander, said most of the armed rebels did not even finish elementary or high school making them vulnerable to recruitment “due to agitation, lies, and deception by the communist NPA terrorist cadres.”

Gullem said that while the rebels are not welcome in these towns, he urged the residents to be more understanding towards them because many of them are just victims of deception.

“If there is anyone of them wants to reform and live a peaceful life with their families and loved ones, we are ready to help and guide them in their return to mainstream society,” he said.