Gov’t to use military might vs rebel groups

03/13/2010

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales yesterday said the military establishment will unleash its full might against rebel groups that refuse to talk peace with the government.

In his speech during the assumption of new Army chief Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu, Gonzales said while it was the government’s policy to offer peace to the rebel groups, armed rebellion was no longer an option to effect change.

The government is in the process of pursuing a peace accord with the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The two sides, however, are on a deadlock over the draft peace agreements each of them proposed.

Peace talks between the government and the communist group led by the National Democratic Front (NDF) bogged down in 2004 although efforts are underway to revive the formal negotiations. The NDF is the mother organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).

The military is exerting all efforts to achieve the directive given by President Arroyo to stamp out the communist insurgency before her term ends on June 30.

Military estimates placed the NPA’s strength at more than 4,000 as of end 2009.

“I would like to explain that the policy of government when it comes to armed rebellion remains contained within the peace process. We will continue to engage in continuing dialog. We will always be offering peace to those who think that the use of violence and arms is still a legitimate way of achieving peace. We have to tell them that in this country, in this age, armed rebellion is no longer acceptable as a means of achieving societal change, we will explain to them, we will go out of our way to win back our fellow Filipinos who have had some other way of looking at things. But to those who choose to continue using or employing violence, I would like the Armed Forces to really give them a taste of what war really is,” Gonzales said.

In his speech, Mapagu said the Army will “persevere” toward accomplishing its mission to end the insurgency problem.

“For our part, rest assured that we shall persevere to fully accomplish our internal security operations mandate to reduce insurgency to an inconsequential level across the country. We shall endeavor to endure an orderly, peaceful and more importantly, honest and credible national and local elections in May,” he said.

In a related incident, a militiaman was killed and another was wounded when a group of heavily armed NPA rebels attacked government troops in Negros Occidental province Thursday night.

Cauayan town, Negros Occidental police chief, Inspector Louie Figueroa said members of the Army’s 12th Infantry Battalion were patrolling in Sitio (sub-village) Tagaytay, Barangay (village) Camalandaan when they were shot at by nine NPA guerrillas.

Militiaman Roger Quezon was instantly killed in the first volley of gunfire while another militiaman identified as Richard Alinton was wounded in the attack.

Figueroa said the rebels also took the M14 rifle of Quezon.

PNA, with Gina P. Elorde

Back to top

For comments about this website:Webmaster@tribune.net.ph
The Daily Tribune © 2006