N. Ecija folk hit NPA abuses

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija — Some 3,000 placard-bearing residents of four far-flung villages in Guimba town trooped to the streets yesterday to condemn what they claimed were the "abusive" practices of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Residents of Barangays Manggang Marikit, Bagong Barrio, Escaño and Yuson marched to the Guimba town proper where they held a prayer rally.

Lt. Col. Gregory Cayetano, commander of the Army’s 71st Infantry Battalion, told The STAR that the villagers were fed up with being "milking cows" of the NPA and decided to stand up and assert their clamor for genuine democracy.

"We were able to explain to them that democracy is better than communism. The ideology will not thrive without popular support, and this only shows that the people of these villages, which used to be hotbeds of the local communist movement from the 80s to the 90s, have decided to unite and stand up against these rebels who take portions of their hard-earned income," Cayetano said.

He said the residents themselves organized the rally and that the soldiers were there just to provide security. 

Cayetano said former NPA guerrillas are now the ones guarding these villages against their former comrades. 

Last month, residents of Barangay Lennec conducted a similar protest action.