PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines

NPA suffered zero casualties in Pampanga-Bulacan clash, CPP counters
July 6, 2003

"A monstrous lie" was the reaction of the Communist Party of the Philippines to the claim of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that the The New People's Army suffered fifteen casualties in an encounter last Friday evening in Sasmoan town, near the border of Pampanga and Bulacan provinces.

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, spokesman of the Communist Party of the Philippines, said today that based on initial reports by the NPA-Central Luzon Command, the NPA in fact suffered zero casualties. Rosal said that they still have to verify initial reports that at least two soldiers of the Philippine Army were killed in that encounter.

"On orders of Malacanang and the AFP high command, Maj. Gen. Alberto Braganza has concocted a monstrous lie in his desperation to boost the sagging morale of his men," Rosal said. "Naghahabi sila ng buhangin."

"Since suffering grave losses in Samar and Compostela Valley and without any single victory to prate about, the AFP�s high command and propaganda mill have been resorting to making up all sorts of concoctions to cover-up their losses," Rosal added. "Weaving lies has long been the practice of AFP. Fascists are in fact liars through and through."

Rosal said that "in its desperate drive to recover from negative PR points after the successful NPA offensives during the past two weeks, Malacanang and Camp Aguinaldo are concocting every lie it can to taint the integrity of the New People's Army."

He also condemned Malacanang for "blocking efforts by some personalities and interest groups to revive the GRP-NDFP peace talks."

"Arroyo is talking a lot about peace talks but doing everything to hinder it," Rosal said. Rosal cited the recent order by President Arroyo to revoke the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

Last week, House Speaker Jose De Venecia went to The Netherlands to discuss with the NDF negotiating panel the possibility of resuming GRP-NDFP peace talks. His efforts, however, were fruitless because of Malacanang's insistence on keeping the terrorist tag on the CPP, NPA and Jose Ma. Sison, NDF senior consultant on peace talks.

"Peace talks cannot be resumed as long as the NDF negotiators are under duress as a result of the terrorist listing by the US and some European countries. If Malacanang really wants to talk, it can undo its earlier campaign to have the CPP, NPA and Comrade Jose Ma. Sison categorized as terrorists," Rosal added.

The other day, Rosal said that the revolutionary forces are unfazed by the orders of Malacanang to deploy more AFP troops to fight the NPA. "Deploying more AFP troops in NPA guerrilla zones also means more targets of NPA tactical offensives and thus more weapons to arm the growing number of NPA Red fighters." ###

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



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