Nothing’s wrong with requiring cedula — AFP

As far as the Armed Forces is concerned, only the ones who have problems with the government are alarmed and afraid of the military’s move to require residents in Central Luzon to show their cedulas (community tax certificates).

Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, Armed Forces public information officer, however, gave an assurance that the military will not condone abuses by soldiers. He called on victims to file complaints against the erring military personnel.

Bacarro said the military’s anti-insurgency campaign has effectively constricted the movements of communist guerrillas in so-called "white areas" in Central Luzon where the rebels have relied heavily for their survival and logistics.

"White areas" are communities where the insurgents’ presence is limited only to their cadres who collect "revolutionary taxes" from local businessmen and other forms of support from their civilian backers.

"Actually, the requirement for civilians to secure a residence certificate is part of the effort of the men of Gen. Palparan to deny groups like the NPA from entering the barangays," said Bacarro, referring to Maj. Gen Jovito Palparan, commander of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division.

Militant groups have blamed Palparan for the spate of killings and disappearances of leftist leaders and activists in Central Luzon since he took over the 7th ID based at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija in March last year.

The 7th ID has operational jurisdiction over the provinces of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Aurora and Zambales, and parts of Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya.

Bacarro said law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear about the cedula requirement, which he added is only meant to restrain the insurgents’ movements and prevent them from conducting their extortion activities.

With the NPA now feeling the heat of the military’s efforts, Bacarro said they have concocted tales of abuses as part of their hate campaign against the Armed Forces.