This NOLCOM Chief Spins Yarn Again to Cover Up Heavy Casualties in the Zambales-Tarlac Battle

Jose Agtalon
Spokesperson
Josepino Corpuz Commmand
Central Luzon
February 09, 2003

"Two Army soldiers were killed and five others were wounded � NPA rebels� also suffered 'heavy casualties' � 18 rebels killed �" goes another scripted statement to the media by Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia, vice chief of staff and commander of the Army's Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM), in reference to the armed clashes that took place in the Zambales-Tarlac mountains on Feb. 1, 2003. Through this cheap propaganda churned out of Garcia's psywar mill, he had hoped to tone down the impact of the heavy losses incurred by the military in the Zambales-Tarlac battle.

The incident(s) being referred to by the NOLCOM Chief are the two successive clashes between the Army and a group of NPA fighters in Bgy. Cabatuan, Botolan, Zambales. The first one starting at 9:30 am, and the second and longer one, at 2:30 pm until 7 pm, all in one day, the 1st of February. In the first firefight alone, 8 Army soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. The second firefight took more than 4 hours as the NPA Red fighters held the line even as more losses were inflicted on the reactionary troops.

Because of heavy losses on the government side, the soldiers under the 24th IB launched retaliatory actions against innocent civilians in nearby barangays. They massacred a 6-member family and burned houses in Sitio Palis, Barangay Magisgis, Botolan, Zambales, on the same day. Reports that military atrocities were also committed in nearby Sitio Nakolkol of the same barangay are still being verified by the NPA command assigned in the area.

Two battalions, in full battle-gear versus "100" NPA Red fighters (Garcia's own estimates); more than 10 Army soldiers dead and several others wounded versus 1 NPA Red fighter martyred. This forebodes ill of the fate of the mercenary AFP. No wonder the US and the GMA regime are in a hurry to let the Green Berets in to aid the inept and corrupt military to stamp out what they consider as the biggest threat to the US-GMA regime, the New People's Army under the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, as the AFP takes a losing course, Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia, the NOLCOM chief, will continue to spin yarn hoping to earn points to edge his way closer to the top post in the Philippine military. Passing off a band of criminals whom Garcia's men killed in a rub-out operation as NPA rebels in Bgy. Gandus, Mexico, Pampanga in October 6 last year; misrepresenting the misencounter between elements of the 69th IB and the Bantay Bayan of Brgy Sn Jose, Magalang Pampanga as an encounter between the NPA and the AFP in Brgy Bical, Mabalacat in October 10; claiming the successful tactical operation against the "RHB" by the NPA as the "successful operation" by the 69th IB on the "RHB" on November 9, also of last year: these are all Garcia's gimickry.

No amount of such publicity, however, could cover up the inept and corrupt military and avert its losing course as it continues to wage an unjust war. ###

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