NDF still in talks with disgruntled soldiers

Communist rebels in the Philippines have maintained informal contacts with disgruntled military officers wanting to oust President Arroyo, a senior rebel spokesman told Agence France Presse.

Junior military officers on the ground as well as "some higher level" officers were in "informal discussions" with rebel leaders, said George Madlos, also known as Ka Oris and spokesman for the National Democratic Front (NDF) in the southern region of Mindanao.

The NDF is the political front of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing the New People’s Army, which Wednesday marked its 37th founding anniversary.

Madlos said the last time he spoke with a military officer was this month.

"We are just exchanging views. We have convergent aims of toppling the Arroyo government," Madlos said by telephone from his mountain hideout in Mindanao.

He said there have been no offers of defection from the soldiers, but stressed the movement was "prepared to accept them individually."

"They have valid complaints and we are happy that they realize this current government is not for the people," Madlos said.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye, in a statement, said police and military forces were not "cowed" by threats from the NPA.

"The government will continue to defend its citizens against these godless terrorists who use their arms to exact taxes and threaten legitimate businesses and private citizens into kowtowing to their diabolical objectives to seize power through violent means," Bunye said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said that the NPA deserves its terrorist tag from the United States and the European Union.

Brig. Gen. Jaime Buenaflor, AFP Civil Relations Service commander, said the extensive lists of the insurgents’ atrocities are enough proof for them to be tagged as terrorists.

"In three months alone, they have killed at least 11 civilians, engaged in nine arson activities, including the burning of six cellsites; conducted several raids and ambuscades and at least five landmine attacks," Buenaflor said in a press statement.

The US and EU have listed the NPA as an international terror organization since April 2003.

This has severed the rebels’ funding abroad and has blocked other foreign-based sources from reaching the rebels.

"For 37 years they have earned a cycle of reputation as extortionists, murderers, assassins, looters, bombers and terrorists," Buenaflor said.

NPA spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal for his part said the military was engaging in psychological warfare in claiming the rebels were planning to stage attacks on the occasion of the NPA’s 37th anniversary.

Rosal said though no attacks were launched yesterday, the NPA has standing orders to launch more attacks this year.

Mrs. Arroyo last month quashed what she claimed was a coup plot involving communist rebels, military officers and certain politicians.

Declaring a weeklong state of emergency, she launched a widespread crackdown. Over 20 officers and men have been detained and face court-martial, while 16 opposition figures, including six leftist legislators, have been charged with rebellion.

Shortly after the incident, Mrs. Arroyo launched meetings with officers on the ground to quell restiveness. She also warned them that any future attempts would be crushed.

The military top brass also said that the chain of command was intact, even as it said earlier that they were mopping up "residual threats" to Mrs. Arroyo. — AFP, Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude