Poll preparations affected drive vs NPA, says Bangit

MANILA, Philippines - While the military claimed success in securing the May 10 polls, it admitted that its drive to wipe out insurgency by June 30 was adversely affected due to the preparations made for the just-concluded elections.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Delfin Bangit, however, said securing the country’s first-ever automated polls is more crucial than beating the June 30 deadline.

“Oh well, yes if you are referring to the timelines, to the June 2010… but it doesn’t matter. The elections are more important because (these) will set the direction for the next six years,” Bangit said when asked if the poll preparations affected the campaign against the communist rebels.

“Wala na dun sa deadline deadline (It is no longer about the deadlines). We have seen how the soldiers worked to ensure peaceful elections for our country,” he added.

When asked if they can still declare the New People’s Army (NPA) insignificant by June 30, Bangit did not give a categorical answer.

“What I am saying about that is we will go back to the table, we will use our previous statements as basis, the scorecards that we have,” Bangit said without elaborating.

“Looking at the things being done by the NPA, it is not the scoreboard that we are talking about… We have to deliver peace to our countrymen. We are at the best of our unity and solidarity with the Philippine National Police,” he added.

With the May 10 polls over, Bangit said they are now shifting to “peace operations” from “election mode.”

Bangit made the statement after an NPA attack in Compostela Valley last Tuesday which killed six people, including two soldiers, and wounded 12 others.

Authorities said the rebels ambushed a convoy of poll officials who are about to return vote-counting machines to Maragusan town for canvassing.

Also killed were two militiamen, an election officer and a poll watcher.

Bangit condemned the Compostela Valley attack and vowed to run after those behind the incident.

“We will hold them (rebels) accountable. We cannot remain silent on this… We cannot allow destructive groups to discredit our efforts… We won’t let such incidents pass,” he said.

Bangit said they are ready to deploy additional troops to the Davao region when necessary.

Bangit refused to accept the NPA’s apology on the ambush, saying, “No amount of apology can bring back the lives lost nor can it alleviate the grief suffered by the orphaned families.”

National Democratic Front-Mindanao spokesman George Madlos apologized to the victims’ families, saying the rebel movement would find a way to help them. 

Bangit and Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales went to Compostela Valley yesterday to meet with field commanders and to discuss plans against the rebels.

Meanwhile, the nine soldiers wounded in Compostela Valley were awarded Wounded Personnel Medals by Army chief Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu.  

Awarded were S/Sgt. Remy Enoslay, Pfc. John Rey Toledo, Sgt. William Eror, Pfc. Nasser Ukoman, Pfc. Romeo Felix, Pfc. Johnrie Toytoy, Pfc. Baraham Maadil, Pvt. Datu Ali Azlamad, and CAA Oliver Nonong,

Mapagu also visited the wake of Sgt. Jose Osman and Pfc. Macrell Bakil, two of the fatalities in the NPA attack. They were given one-rank promotion and awarded Military Merit Medals posthumously. – With Edith Regalado and Jaime Laude