NPA says Arroyo government is not winning the war but terrorizing the people in Eastern Samar

Efren Martires Command
New People's Army-Eastern Visayas
Press Statement

Saying that the military never defeated the NPA but only abused and tried to silence the people, the Efren Martires Command of the New People's Army in Eastern Visayas today scorned 801st Infantry Brigade commander Gen. Francis Lanuza's claims of victory in a recent meeting with 16 mayors of Eastern Samar. "Under Oplan Bantay Laya 2, the military has failed to annihilate even a single unit of the NPA but has repeatedly attacked and forced the evacuation of thousands of the civilian population in Eastern Samar and the whole region," said Ka Karlos Manuel, EMC spokesperson. "The 801st Brigade's so-called KAIBIGAN Program � a psywar and intelligence network in the barrios � is a dismal failure not only because of the NPA's tactical offensives but also because the people continue to support and protect the NPA. Gen. Lanuza's boasting is delusional and desperate; he is in no position to brag because the Arroyo regime is bankrupt and extremely isolated, and is in dire straits because of the global economic crisis."

The EMC spokesperson added that the leading civilian and military authorities in Eastern Samar are only posturing to curry favor with Gloria Arroyo's administration that is striving to remain in power beyond 2010. "The military has long been cozy with top Arroyo henchman Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, who also chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council. As a leading Arroyo ally, Evardone receives various political favors such as "development projects" that are traditional sources of corruption and from which the province has never actually benefited. The NPA also has information that Evardone has been directing the mayors in his province to extend full support to the military. In particular, the revolutionary government is evaluating reports regarding the active role of Evardone and the town mayors of Sulat, Maslog, San Policarpio, Giporlos and Balangkayan in extrajudicial killings of progressive activists and in military operations that harm innocent civilians. Should sufficient evidence be found linking them to such anti-people acts, the NPA will be authorized to arrest and bring them to trial before the people's court."

Ka Karlos Manuel also said that the NPA's Sergio Lobina Command in Eastern Samar was able to carry out tactical offensives in 2008. "On May 11, the NPA launched a special operation in Gen. MacArthur town where a policeman was killed in action and his M16 rifle and ammunition confiscated. Moreover, the special operation disrupted the military's plan to set up their KAIBIGAN network in the barrios of Roxas, Alang-alang, Magsaysay, Tugop and others in that town. On June 23, the NPA sniped the enemy patrol base in Brgy. San Isidro, also in Gen. MacArthur. The NPA also successfully harassed the military's maneuvers in Brgy. Canduros, Llorente on June 28. On September 6, three soldiers were killed in action and several others wounded in an NPA harassment operation at the Suribao River between Borongan and Maydolong towns. The NPA offensives have forced the military to overstretch their forces; the 801st Brigade only has the 14th IB and the 62nd IB trying to cover not only the 23 towns of Eastern Samar but part as well of Western Samar.

"Because they cannot contain the NPA, the military resorts to violating the laws of war in attacking the civilian population that they suspect supports the NPA. The 62nd IB forced mass evacuations in Giporlos in April 2007 and in Gen. MacArthur in June 2008. Meanwhile, the 14th IB instigated fake surrenders of innocent civilians who were forced to pose as alleged NPA members and supporters in Arteche and Oras in June 2008."

The EMC spokesperson opined that the present conditions were favorable for advancing the revolutionary armed struggle in Eastern Samar and the whole region. "The military's lies and abuses only incense the people to rise up and assert their democratic rights. The military is shaking in its boots because the Arroyo regime is in danger of losing its grip on power and is facing a showdown with the people, who seek to end and bring it to account for its crimes. Oplan Bantay Laya 2 has failed to crush the NPA but driven even more numbers into the fold of revolution. The time will soon come when Gen. Lanuza's falsehood that the NPA is done for will explode in his face."