Dy: I don’t have any sins against the people

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela — "I have not committed any sins against the people."

Thus said Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy Jr. in reaction to death threats from the New People’s Army (NPA) which has accused him of alleged "crimes and abuses against the masses."

"I don’t know of any reason why they want to eliminate me. I’m just doing my job as a public servant," said Dy, whose family has been ruling this country’s second largest province for more than three decades.

Dy has beefed up his security due to the NPA threats. Intelligence sources have confirmed that his name appears in the rebels’ hit list.

He clarified that he is not taunting the communist rebels to come and get him but is instead asking them what his "sins against the people" are "to deserve (such) a harsh judgment."

"I can’t do anything more if building roads and bridges for farmers, schools for poor children and hospitals for indigents are sins to them," he said.

The three local communist fronts — the Benito Tesorio Command and the Filomena Asuncion and Reynaldo Piñol Fronts - have accused Dy and other local officials of implementing "anti-poor and anti-environment" projects such as the multimillion-peso cassava plantation, the coal-powered plant in Cauayan City and the field trials for genetically engineered crops.

In April last year, the Benito Tesorio Command claimed responsibility for the ambush-killing of one of Dy’s political allies, Mayor Jesus Sebastian of Jones town, whom the rebels also accused of having committed abuses against the masses.

Others reportedly in the NPA hit list are Dy’s brothers — third district Rep. Faustino Dy III, Cauayan City Mayor Caesar Dy, Alicia Mayor Napoleon Dy and former Gov. Benjamin Dy — and some of their political allies, including Vice Gov. Santiago Respicio and at least three town mayors.

Senior Superintendent Nelson Nario, provincial police director, earlier said that the Dy brothers, Aurora Mayor William Uy who heads the provincial mayors’ league, and the mayor of remote San Agustin town have been given permits to carry firearms outside their homes.