NPA denies Alang-alang ambush, chides PNP for implicating Anakpawis

Jose Sumoroy
Spokesperson
Efren Martires Command
New People's Army-Eastern Visayas
May 04, 2004

For confirmation, contact:
Roy Santos, NDF-EV Media Liaison Officer
Cellphone No. 0918-3112138

The New People's Army in Eastern Visayas "absolutely denies" ambushing elements of the Philippine National Police in Alang-alang, Leyte in the early morning of May 3. "There was no NPA military action in Alang-alang at that particular date and time, as confirmed by the responsible NPA unit in the said area," said Jose Sumuroy, spokesperson of the Efren Martires Command (EMC).

Sumuroy castigated the PNP for pinning responsibility for the ambush on the NPA because of the presence in the area of posters and other campaign paraphernalia by Anakpawis, a progressive party-list group. "The PNP is towing the anti-communist and fascist line of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales in linking Anakpawis and other progressive party-list groups to the NPA," the EMC spokesperson said. "By implying that Anakpawis and the NPA are one and the same, the PNP encourages the harming and killing of the unarmed and defenseless Anakpawis members by the reactionary state. In fact, Anakpawis and other progressive party-list groups are not connected with the NPA and the armed struggle but peacefully vying for Congress in the May 10 elections."

He added that it is not surprising that the PNP found Anakpawis campaign materials "because the progressive party-list group is very popular among the masses, such that their election posters are all over the region." Sumuroy asserted that the PNP is merely chiming in with the AFP's vicious black propaganda and numerous violent attacks in the region and nationwide against the progressive party-list groups like Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women's Party and Anak ng Bayan.

"Anti-Bayan Muna slogans can be found all over Catbalogan, Samar, where the 8th Infantry Division has its headquarters," Sumuroy pointed out. "Last April 13, AFP and PNP elements also tried to raid and continue to harass the Bayan Muna headquarters in Catarman, Northern Samar. And lest we forget, Bayan Muna members Rolando Fortaliza and Jacqueline Paguntalan remain missing after their abduction in Baybay, Leyte by AFP intelligence agents last Feb. 21." 5

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