ILOILO – Despite the current public health emergency due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the New People’s Army (NPA) in this province is pushing through with its recruitment activities.
In Barangay Lanag, Tigbauan town the rebels circulated recruitment flyers and displayed streamers.
Village residents alerted the police on Wednesday.
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) criticized the NPA for the latter’s obtuse insensitivity to public sentiment at this time.
“The rebels are insensitive to the plight of the people who are all on quarantine in their houses. They are taking advantage of the situation,” said 3ID spokesperson, Army Captain Cenon Pancito III.
The whole province is on an enhanced community quarantine to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Just this March 29 the NPA marked its 51stanniversary.
The recruit flyers were printed with words “Lumalakas, lumalawak, lumalaban. Join NPA. Napoleon Tumagtang Command. I love NPA dito sa Tigbauan.”
“They wanted to project na malakas pa rin sila, but they are not,” said Pancito.
The NPA is on a recruitment spree because its ranks are declining, he revealed.
“They need to recruit in the lowlands because they no longer have recruits in the upland areas,” said Pancito.
In the whole Panay Island, Pancito said, there are now less than a hundred rebels. Many NPA members surrendered to the government and others were killed in encounters with government troops, he added.
“They have become irrelevant and desperate. Alam nila na ang support ng tao ay nasa government forces na. Ang mga tao ay sawa na sa kanilang promises,” said Pancito.
He reminded people not to support nor join the NPA “kasi walang patutungohan.”
The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines./PN
