‘NPA in ambush must face raps’

MANILA, Philippines - The New People’s Army (NPA) gunmen behind the ambush of Gingoog Mayor Ruth Guingona should surrender and face criminal charges, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said yesterday.

CHR chair Loretta Ann Rosales said an apology issued by the communist umbrella group National Democratic Front (NDF) for the ambush that killed two civilians was not enough.

“We also call on concerned government agencies to ensure that due process and fair treatment will be given to NPA guerrillas who must surrender to face the legal consequences of their actions,” Rosales said.

She expressed hope that the ambush would not derail the peace process with the NDF and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

NPA rebels blocked the convoy of Guingona on the outskirts of Gingoog City on Saturday and opened fire when the convoy did not stop.

Guingona, the wife of former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr. and mother of Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, was wounded and trapped for five hours in her bullet-riddled Hi-Lux pick-up before she was rescued and airlifted to Manila.

Mayor Guingona’s driver Nestor Velasco and his brother Tomas died at the scene. The mayor’s security escort, Senior Police Officer 3 Roland Dimerito, and a civilian identified as Leo Cante were wounded.

NPA spokesman Jorge Madlos apologized to the families of the victims.

The CHR condemned the attack, saying the NPA violated a human rights agreement.

“This attack manifests a gross violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law,” the CHR said, referring to the first component of a three-part peace deal forged in earlier talks between the government and the NDF.

“To shoot a vehicle without first identifying its passengers as combatants or civilians is clearly prohibited under the Geneva Conventions and Republic Act No. 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity,” the CHR said.

Rosales added that “it is equally unlawful for persons without authority and who are not agents of the state to set up checkpoints.”

“Such checkpoints were reportedly set up to enforce the NPA’s prohibition on firearms in areas they allegedly control without NPA gun permits. That the attack was reportedly spurred by the entourage’s attempt to get past an NPA checkpoint is unacceptable as only the government is the sole recognized authority that can establish checkpoints under exacting conditions,” Rosales said.

The CPP said the NPA had orders to enforce a ban on the bearing of firearms by candidates and their escorts while campaigning in areas controlled by the rebels “to ensure the protection of the people’s rights and welfare.”

The CPP said Malacañang is “making assertions that there is only one political authority in the country.”

The group dismissed President Aquino’s order to dismantle NPA checkpoints as “empty bluster which the (military and the police) are incapable of enforcing.”

‘Make our day’

Malacañang challenged the NPA to go ahead and slug it out with soldiers now deployed in the ambush area in Misamis Oriental.

“The approximate headcount for the Marines are 500 people, and hot pursuit operations are now ongoing in Misamis Oriental. You want to challenge us? Go ahead, make our day,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said over national television.

Lacierda assured the public that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) can protect the citizenry against NPA attacks.

“We are asking the … local communities – if they have any information as to all these NPA activities, please call our nearest PNP (Philippine National Police) or AFP detachment and we will respond accordingly,” Lacierda said.

“Our position is, we are going to protect and defend our citizens; that is the mandate of the AFP. If there are atrocities… if the NPAs commit abuses …of course we will fight them,” he added.

Asked what the government would do if people encountered NPA checkpoints, Lacierda said the military and police would remove these.

The AFP advised candidates to coordinate with security forces when campaigning in rebel-infested areas.

“If they need extra protection, we can provide them,” AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos said. “They should ignore the demands for so-called permit-to-campaign fees. This is extortion.”

Burgos said the NPA staged the ambush on Guingona to show politicians that the group is capable of making good its threats.

AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista has ordered a “relentless” pursuit of the NPA assailants.

Burgos said Bautista wanted field units to intensify their security patrols to prevent the bandits from launching similar attacks.

A battalion of Marines has been sent to Misamis Oriental to maintain peace and order in the area.

The PNP said the NPA group that attacked Guingona is one of the threat groups being monitored by the police for the May elections.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo said the attack was apparently meant to project the strength of the NPA for the elections and raise funds.

PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima suggested that candidates join up in their campaign sorties to simplify security arrangements.

Purisima said the PNP is ready to provide security personnel to ensure peace and order at campaign venues.

He said the NPA is taking advantage of the election period to extort money from candidates.

Review needed

A senior security official, on the other hand, called for a reevaluation of the military’s campaign plan to address the resurgence of the NPA.

The security official, who asked not to be named, said intelligence capability should also be strengthened.

Contrary to government pronouncements, the official admitted that the ranks of the NPA have significantly increased due to the lack of sustainable military and ground intelligence networks. – Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero, Jaime Laude