ALL-OUT WAR

It will be an all-out war against the New People’s Army (NPA).

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa told reporters that after the uprising of Islamic State-inspired Maute terrorist group in Marawi City is resolved, their next target will be to wipe out all the communist rebels in the country.

“Whatever it takes mao nay instruction ni President Rodrigo Duterte nga igkahuman sa Marawi focus ta sa problema sa NPA,” dela Rosa said in an interview.

Dela Rosa talked to reporters at the sideline of the general membership meeting and induction of new members of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) held last night at the City Sports Club Cebu where he was the guest speaker.

During his speech, dela Rosa divulged that he was personally asked by Duterte to focus on the NPA problem.

Dela Rosa said they were on their way to Dumaguete City from Manila on Thursday when he was directed by the President to engage the NPA in an all-out war. Dela Rosa was then accompanying the President to Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental to pay their respect to the six policemen, including Guihulngan City’s police chief, Supt. Arnel Arpon, who were ambushed and killed by NPA guerillas on July 21.

“Ingon siya (Duterte) nako, ‘ready na kay hutdon nato ang NPA human sa problema sa Marawi,’” Dela Rosa said.
(The President told me, ‘you better get ready because we will wipe out the NPA after the problem in Marawi is resolved.)

NPA strength

Dela Rosa said that their latest assessment of the NPA’s strength indicates that most of the communist guerillas are concentrated in the three Mindanao provinces of Agusan, Davao and Surigao while those in the Visayas are operating in the Negros Island provinces, Iloilo and Samar.

Cebu and other parts in the Visayas are insurgency free, Dela Rosa said, but these areas should not also let their guards down.

“So far wala tay na monitor (NPA) diri sa Cebu. Anyway if naay nakasulod wala guroy planong mag buhat ug binuang,” Dela Rosa said.

(So far, we haven’t monitored the presence of NPA in Cebu. Anyway, those who manage to enter Cebu are not likely to be planning to create chaos here.)

Dela Rosa said that he was confident that the Cebuanos and the people in Central Visayas would not tolerate any presence of NPA or terrorists in the region.

He cited what happened in Bohol where 11 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) tried but failed to inflict terror in the province, mainly thanks to the cooperation of Boholanos.

“Tan-awa ra to sila wala gani nakagawas og buhi nila (Look what happened to those terrorists who entered Bohol. No one came out alive),” Dela Rosa said.

No more peace talks

On the appeal of some sectors to resume peace talks with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the NPA and their political arm, the National Democratic Front (NDF), Dela Rosa said the police will no longer entertain it because many of his men have been killed by the NPA and many police stations were being attacked by the rebels.

“Wala man siguro tawo dili gusto og kalinaw. Pero dapat ang kalinaw, tinud-anay nga kalinaw dili kay gusto og peace talks pero sige mo pangatake sa amo,” Dela Rosa stressed.

(I think nobody does not want peace. But if they want peace they should go for true peace, not just saying they wanted to engage in peace talks but they would keep on attacking us.)

Dela Rosa said he did not think that the rebels were sincere in pursuing a peace agreement with the government since they keep on attacking policemen, raiding police stations and engaging the military in skirmishes.

“Peace talk man kaha? Peace and then talk. Dili kay peace karon giyera dayon talk, giyera, peace. Binuang nana. Balik balik ang problema dili mahuman,” Dela Rosa added.

(They said they wanted peace? Peace and then talk. Not just peace now then they engage in war and then want to have peace talks again. That is ridiculous. You are going in circles and its same problem repeating itself.)

Help the PNP

In his speech before local businessmen, Dela Rosa appealed to the members of CCCI not to abandon the PNP.

Dela Rosa said he trusts the Cebuanos because Cebu has remain to be a very peaceful province where business continues to prosper despite the problem of terrorism and insurgency in other parts of the country.

“Gi-encourage nato ang members sa CCCI nga unta dili pasagdan ang kapolisan. Magtinabangay ta nga dili masudlan ang Cebu sa mga terorista o NPA. Dapat maprotektahan nato ang Cebu,” Dela Rosa said in an interview.

(I encouraged the members of CCCI to support the police. Let us help each other so that no terrorist or the NPA can enter Cebu. Let’s protect Cebu.)

He said they hope to confine the problem of terrorism and insurgency in Mindanao.

“Okay lang, we will solve that problem. Pero kung kaning Cebu dapat maintain g’yud nato ang iyahang status (as a peaceful area),” Dela Rosa added.

He said Cebu has been the center of trade and together with PNP, the CCCI should help in maintaining the peace and order in the province.

Dela Rosa acknowledged the efforts of CCCI in helping the PNP in the peace and order situation.

However, he urged the business sector and the Cebuanos to level up their security measures to ensure that no terrorists and insurgents could create chaos in Cebu.

“Kung kaning Cebu madisgrasiya, simbako palayo, nay mahitabo any act of terror unsa paman ipahambog nato sa Pilipinas? Wala na. Cebu naman nagpabiling malinawon ug mauswagon nga lugar sa tibuok Pilipinas,” Dela Rosa said.

(If an act of terror occurs in Cebu, which we hope will never happen, how can we deal with the fall out? We will be in trouble. Cebu is the remaining metropolis in the Philippines that is both progressive and peaceful.)

Over the last year since Duterte has assumed office, several bomb attacks have rocked Metro Manila and key cities in Mindanao, including President Duterte’s home city, Davao.

Extortion

Earlier yesterday, the police and military in Central Visayas also announced they would be intensifying their campaign against the collection of the so-called “revolutionary tax” by the NPA following Duterte’s directive to put a stop to the rebels’ “extortion” activities.

The Police Regional Office 7 and Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command (Centcom) consider the “revolutionary tax” as extortion.

“Una kahit hindi tawagin na extortion, ‘yung mismong pamamaraan na kanilang ginagawa masasabi na ‘yan extortion. Example paghingi nila ng government project at pag ayaw magbigay sunugin nila yung mga structures. (Their way of collecting these taxes is already extortion. For example, when they asked for a government project but it is not granted, they will burn government structures.) What do you call it? It is extortion,” said Centcom spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar.

Aguilar said the rebels usually target civilians who cannot defend themselves and it’s about time for the government to file cases against “these extortionists.”

So far, there have been no recent indication that NPA elements have been collecting revolutionary tax in Cebu or in the other provinces in Central Visayas. But PRO-7 director Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino said they would be ready to act should they receive reports about such “criminal activity.”

Both the military and police urged the public to report immediately if they would be asked for a “revolutionary tax” either verbally or in writing.

“We are encouraging (the) business (sector) to report to the PNP (Philippine National Police) if they receive letters demanding revolutionary tax so we can help them catch these people and provide the necessary security,” said Espino.

During his visit to Negros Oriental last Thursday, Duterte instructed the military and police to stop the rebels from collecting the so-called “revolutionary tax.”

“Starting (on Thursday), I am instructing the military and the police not to call it a revolutionary tax because it is plain extortion. They should arrest and file charges against anyone involved in such activity,” said Duterte.

Read more...