The Efren Martires Command of the New People’s Army-Eastern Visayas disowns the audio statement by Lito Moreno, who claims to be the spokesperson of the Nida Cantong Command, and aired over DYVL radio station in Tacloban City last June 30 ostensibly in reaction to a vulgar outburst by GRP President Rodrigo Duterte. The Nida Cantong Command is the front operations command of the NPA in the first congressional district of Northern Samar, but it has no spokesperson by that name. Any statement by the NPA in Northern Samar must also be approved by the Rodante Urtal Command, the provincial operations command, which has communicated through official line that there is no such spokesperson or statement from the Nida Cantong Command.

Last May 25, fake news also came out through Bombo Radyo Tacloban in the form of an alleged statement by the Jovito Ragay Command over the armed engagement between the NPA and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Hindang, Leyte. It is impossible for the Jovito Ragay Command to issue such a statement because it is a front operations command in Samar province, while the incident happened in Leyte, outside its area of responsibility. The NPA command for the entire Leyte Island is the Mt. Amandewin Command.

We in the Efren Martires Command call on the media in Eastern Visayas to be vigilant and uphold press freedom against the psychological operations, disinformation and fake news churned out by the AFP and the US-Duterte regime. The media can contact and interview the Efren Martires Command through its e-mail line, and additionally seek verification of any statement issued by the NPA and the revolutionary movement in Eastern Visayas.