PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines

"'Ka Lorena story', a cheap publicity gimmick"
-- Ka Roger
February 8, 2003

"The 'Ka Lorena' publicity gimmick is another one of Macapagal-Arroyo's spinners' cheap creation."

This was the reaction of Communist Party of the Philippines spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal to the news that Macapagal-Arroyo will be the ninang (godmother) of Rosalinda Cocoy, described by Malacanang as an NPA surrenderee who went by the nom de guerre of "Ka Lorena".

Macapagal-Arroyo the other day visited Cocoy and her godchild to be, Sheena Rose, at the V. Luna military hospital. The president first met Cocoy last November when Col. Efren Orbon, commander of the 202nd Brigade of the Philippine Army presented her before the media as the highest ranking among 150 surrenderees. The Narciso Antaso Aramil Command (NAAC) of the Rizal NPA said then that "most of the 150 'surrenderees' were ordinary folk who were either paid or coerced to participate in the 'grand event'."

Rosal said "Most of the 150 hauled by the AFP to pose as NPA surrenderees for the event were promised a share of the money the AFP officers would get from the rebel returnee fund for the supposed mass surrender."

Rosal also denied the claim of the AFP that Cocoy was the "secretary" or "political officer" of the CPP and NPA in Rizal province. Rosal said that Cocoy had only undergone the first two months of the initial process of recruitment into the NPA and had to take an emergency leave to seek treatment for a heart ailment.

Rosal added "She never reported back, however, soon married and lived in their barrio. On August 22, Lorena was arrested by the military, together with a hundred or so others in their barrio when a firefight took place in their barrio between the NPA and AFP. She was forcibly made to point out her own barriomates as members of the NPA and its support base. She was held in a camp in San Isidro, Antipolo City and has been turned into a sex slave of several military officials. She recorded as an NPA surrenderee and has since remained in military custody and is eating from the hands of 202nd Brigade officers who have become her slave masters."

Rosal also said "Making a media ops out of her volunteering to be godmothering Cocoy's child is Macapagal-Arroyo's own business. But the fakery of all this cheap yarn needs to be exposed." ###

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553



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