PNP: NPA backing 6 party-list groups

The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) has mobilized local cadres and followers to ensure the victory of six leftist party-list groups in today’s elections, a Philippine National Police official reported yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Mendoza, a senior police intelligence officer who has worked in counter-insurgency operations for the past 20 years, said CPP-NPA chairman Jose Ma. Sison has given the marching orders to the members of the local communist movement to use all means to ensure that these party-list groups gain a seat in the House of Representatives.

Mendoza identified the groups being supported by the CPP-NPA as Bayan Muna, Anak ng Bayan, Gabriela Women’s Party, Anak Pawis, Migrante and the Suara Bangsamoro Party.

The PNP and the military have been vocal against the activities of the NPA and regard the insurgents as most potent during elections.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao branded the NPA as extortionists for collecting permit-to-campaign (PTC) fees from local candidates.

Mendoza said the NPA’s plan was revealed after police seized documents detailing this plan from a certain "Ka Andres," an NPA leader belonging to the Palermo Ortañez Command in Pampanga.

A certain Ka Roy of the NPA’s national military staff has issued a directive ordering communist rebels involved with various underground and legal fronts of the communist movement to take part in the polls.

Ka Ares is said to be the vice commanding officer of the NPA’s regional special operations group under the Central Luzon Regional Committee.

He was wounded and arrested by the Pampanga police during an encounter in Barangay Salu in Guagua town while he was officiating the wedding of two NPA rebels.

Tapped to do political legwork for the left-leaning party-list groups were the NPA’s political officers, provincial coordinating committees, mobile propaganda teams, guerrilla units, self-defense teams, local leftist groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that serve as fronts for the CPP-NPA, Mendoza said.

The NPA has also been monitoring the movements of Akbayan party-list group led by Etta Rosales. The NPA has accused Rosales of having entered into an alliance with the military.

Besides this, Mendoza said, the NPA has also directed its spy network to include individuals and groups providing electoral funds to Akbayan and other "counter-revolutionary" forces in its offensives.