Army says rebels taking advantage of pandemic

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division accused the New People’s Army (NPA) of taking advantage of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Major General Eric Vinoya said the series of armed encounters with rebels is a tell-tale sign of the group’s motives in the Visayas area.

“The series of movements of the NPAs from their lairs towards the communities and the populace reflects their real intention of taking advantage of the pandemic,” he said.

Vinoya claimed that the NPA’s intentions are more pronounced: to extort from the masses, to recruit more people to go against the government; and to plan and conduct tactical offensives against government forces and installations.

“These terrorists are worse than the COVID-19 pandemic. In spite of the crisis they still continue their antagonisms rather than helping the people who are in need,” he said.

Based on 3ID records, military troops figured in five armed encounters with suspected NPA members in Western and Central Visayas since the declaration of public health emergency relative to the threats of COVID-19 on March 9, 2020.

“These encounters confirm the barbaric behavior of the CPPA-NPA despite the crisis,” the 3ID chief said.

The first two incidents were recorded in the towns of Lambunao and Miag-ao, Iloilo on April 7 and 18, 2020, respectively.

In Lambunao, the 3ID said the firefight erupted after NPAs were sighted inching down to the community, even if the Philippine Army troops were long stationed in the area to help the local government in their various efforts to fight COVID-19.

To date, Lambunao has logged seven of the 20 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iloilo province.

Eleven days later, Army troops overran a temporary training ground of the NPA in Miag-ao, Iloilo following another clash with the rebels.

The third and fourth incidents happened in Himamaylan on April 19 and Victorias City on April 24, both in Negros Occidental.

In both incidents, the soldiers responded to requests for security as different government agencies were delivering basic services in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.

The recent armed clash happened in Bilar, Bohol on April 26, while Army troops were securing the distribution of the government’s Social Amelioration Program allowances.

In haste, the rebels even abandoned the foodstuffs, which were believed to have come from the government’s relief goods.

Despite the NPA’s alleged aggression amid the health crisis, Vinoya believed that it has further weakened its mass-based support.

He cited the concerted efforts of the different government agencies to render the CPP-NPA irrelevant, thus the latter’s desire to sabotage and derail government programs.

“With government services reaching the people, their social issues will be reduced into baseless propaganda. The efforts of the Philippine Army, together with other government agencies in the frontlines, will showcase the true service deserved by the people, in contrast to the lies they have been telling the vulnerable communities,” Vinoya said.

He again reassured the people of Western and Central Visayas of the Army’s commitment to serving the people.

“Expect from us to step up our efforts that will ensure victory over our fights against the two viral enemies – the coronavirus and the CPP-NPA virus,” Vinoya said.