Desperate for information regarding the clandestine activities of the NPA and the revolutionary movement, 11th IB troopers resorted to the worn out ploy of disguising themselves as Red fighters.

While its main unit were conducting combat operations last August 24-28 in Siaton’s contested landholdings to harass the farmers cultivating it, about 12 soldiers went the populated Sitio Kabankalan, Barangay Tayak posing as NPAs in a vain effort to gather intelligence about the location of an alleged NPA encampment in the area.

No NPA unit or personnel were present in the area or its vicinities at that moment.

“It’s clear as day that the soldiers of 11th IB are deeply isolated from the peasant masses and the latter will not willingly feed them any reliable and actionable information. Being the armed forces of the landlords, they are disdained by the farmers for suppressing their rights and legitimate struggles,” NPA Southeast Negros spokesperson Ka Estrella Banagbanag said.

Banagbanag added “Their cover is immediately blown the moment they present themselves to the populace. The masses always know who are the real people’s army and who are the pretenders. NPA’s close link with the masses and painstaking mass work cannot be replaced by mere theatrics and make-believe acting.”

Banagbanag further said “11th IB should not bother the civilians if they failed in their intelligence work. They should fire instead their incompetent assets and networks feeding them only rumors, hearsay and fake news.” ###