Like a frightened dog, Mayor Aran Boller furiously barks at his constituents in Matuguinao, Samar. In a military-organized rally last January 29, Boller gave barangay officials until February 15 to “surrender” or face charges under the Anti-Terror Law. Boller is a known element of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The National Democratic Front (NDF) in Eastern Visayas denounced Boller’s threats. In a statement last February 11, NDF-EV said the “foolish, hawkish and military dog” mayor colludes and submits to the military’s whims in exchange for his security.

The NDF added that Boller lords over notorious death squads, counterrevolutionaries, and bad elements. He is one of the most active local officials engaging in fake surrenders of civilians, disinformation, and black propaganda against the revolutionary movement. The NDF believes that those who choose to surrender will be strong-armed by Boller and the AFP, and be coerced into taking part in Boller and the AFP’s psywar and suppression campaign.

In the same event, Boller said that part of his plan was to have soldiers deployed to each of the town’s 20 villages. A military detachment had already been put up in the town center. This is not the first time Boller boasted of his close military connections. In January 2020, he issued an “ultimatum” for NPA members to surrender in three months.

The rally at which Boller spoke last month was organized by the 19th Infantry Battalion, notorious for the Palo Massacre and killing of botanist Dr. Leonard Co. Last September 2020, the 19th IB suffered 17 casualties in an NPA ambush in Barangay Santa Cruz.

The NDV-EV revealed that several cases for murder and frustrated murder are filed against Boller in the local people’s court. The NDF-EV vowed that revolutionary justice will catch up with him.