PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines

AFP scuttles scheduled release of NPA POWs
August 8, 2004

The New People's Army (NPA) was prepared last week to release the two prisoners of war (POWs) being held by the NPA-Romulo Jallores Command in the Bicol region, in accordance with agreements reached between the government (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, however, revealed that the NPA has no choice but to cancel the release with regrets, because the Armed Forces of the Philippines has stubbornly refused to cease offensive military operations in violation of standard operating procedures and GRP-NDF agreements regarding release arrangements.

The NPA has been holding Lt. Ronaldo Fidelino and Pfc. Ronnel Neme�o as POWs for more than five months now. The two surrendered to the NPA in an armed encounter with the latter last March 1 at Tinambac, Camarines Sur.

"Ayaw ng militar na makita ng madla ang maayos at ligtas na pagpapalaya ng NPA sa mga POW at sa halip ipinipilit pa rin nila ang kanilang rescue operations para makapagkasiklab kahit pa patuloy naman silang nabibigo. (The military does not want the public to see a safe and orderly release of the POWs by the NPA and instead insists on pursuing its rescue operations in order to show off, despite consistent failures.)" said Rosal. "Further, it doesn't want the NPA to prove in practice that it is a principed, humane and disciplined revolutionary army contrary to the 'terrorist tagging' by the US and Philippine governments."

Rosal reiterated that the AFP's intransingence has proven to be completely counter-productive. "The AFP's refusal to carry out a suspension of offensive military and police operations (SOMO/SOPO) scuttled the planned release last week of the POWs'." Rosal said that the SOMO/SOPO is standard operating procedure in POW releases and cannot be dispensed with. "Matatapos na sana ang limang buwang paghihintay ng mga pamilya at mahal sa buhay nila Fidelino at Neme�o."

Rosal observed that obviously, the government is sorely ineffective and inutile in making its own armed forces follow its commitments and orders. "Pero, sumusunod naman daw sila sa civilian authority, (but they say they do follow civilian authority)" Rosal quipped, quoting an oft-repeated phase of AFP officers and spokesmen.

Rosal said that the CPP-NPA nevertheless hopes that the Arroyo government "can eventually make the AFP follow the commitments and orders of its supposedly superior civilian political authority and comply with the required procedures and other arrangements for the release of the POWs which government and NDF negotiatiors worked hard to reach over the negotiating table."

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



Back to top