Message of congratulations on the successful NPA raid in Compostela Valley

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal
Spokesperson
Communist Party of the Philippines
September 26, 2002

I wish to convey my warmest greetings to the valiant Red fighters of the Merardo Arce Command of the New People�s Army for carrying out the successful raid on the PNP station in Maco, Compostela Valley that wiped out the station�s armory of about less 35 firearms.

The September 24 raid was successfully carried out through the close cooperation of the NPA and the masses in the locality, especially in terms of intelligence and information gathering regarding the targetted PNP station. This victory is thus shared by the masses and the NPA.

Through the NPA�s employment of ruse tactics such as their posing as AFP soldiers and their usage of the town mayor�s presence, the policemen assigned at the station definitely appeared quite ridiculous as they were unable to put up any form of defense. This is not at all surprising, if we consider the low morale of the armed forces of the reactionary government nationwide, especially in the face of their lack of mass support and the rapid advance of the revolutionary armed movement.

But what comes out as even more ridiculous is the stupidity of AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Danilo Servando, who regarded the Maco reyd and the NPA�s numerous other tactical offensives against the AFP and PNP as �terrorist� activities of the Party and the NPA.

Just like the recent raid at Compostela Valley, the NPA launches tactical offensives against definite and legitimate military targets and always with consideration for the welfare of the masses. Even the Maco policemen who immediately surrendered to the NPA were left unharmed because the NPA respects their rights as stipulated in the international guidelines governing armed conflict. Such rules, including the Geneva Conventions, as well as the more stringent rules of discipline of the NPA are thoroughly upheld and complied with.

In contrast, the AFP and PNP�s counter-revolutionary operations have been wreaking great havoc on their direct targets�the masses. Among the acts perpetrated by the PNP are forced evacuations, indiscriminate firing and torching of the houses of civilians, arbitrary killings and torture, destruction of crops and the masses� sources of livelihood and other depravities especially against the peasant masses and indigenous peoples. The worst fascist-terrorist abuses are being perpetrated in Basilan, Mindoro, Laguna, Bohol, Negros, Panay, Central and Northern Luzon.

In the span of only one and a half years, from January 22, 2001 to July 15, 2002, there were 1,334 cases of human rights violations recorded. The civil rights of more than 37,164 people have were violated by the AFP. Presently, there are more than 167 political prisoners languishing in 63 jails.

These are all in utter violation of international rules governing armed conflict. Through the efforts of human rights organizations, all these cases have been documented unlike the ficititious and irresponsible accusations of the AFP which would not pass the scrutiny of any impartial judge.

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