The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) called out Apayao provincial governor on his offer of ₱500,000 to New People’s Army (NPA) members if they surrender, saying Red fighters are “not for sale.”
CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena said that the NPA’s pure love of the people has no monetary equivalent.
“Their sacrifices made in the struggle for democracy and freedom are priceless,” Valbuena said.
Governor Elias Bulut Jr. said in a “Balik-Loob” activity in Kabugao town last April 22 he offering half a million pesos to Red fighters who would surrender.
Bulut also announced he will be rewarding ₱1 million soldiers who would kill or force to surrender NPA members, and spies who would report their whereabouts.
But Valbuena advised Bulut to dump his offer as no loyal Red fighter would take him up on his “deceit.”
The CPP officer also warned the politician against offering rewards to the military as it would only encourage government soldiers to commit terrorism on farmers and indigenous peoples’ communities.
“The AFP is an expert in killing civilians, later alleging the victims were NPA members,” Valbuena said.
Continuing atrocities by government soldiers only fuel the people’s resentment against the rotten system, he added.
Valbuena advised Bulut to focus on poverty alleviation projects instead.
Apayao remains to be the least develop province in the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
Valbuena said Bulut should stop deluding himself that Apayao had indeed become “insurgency-free.”
Poverty and oppression are reasons why the NPA persist and continue to grow, Valbuena concluded. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
