• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Thousands of Negrenses, including former rebels, marked the 54th founding anniversary of the New People’s Army on March 29, with simultaneous island-wide indignation rallies in Negros Island.
About 3,500 people participated in Toboso and Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental, and Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental, where they denounced the atrocities and human rights violations perpetrated by the NPA and its allied groups for more than five decades.
The successive rallies were initiated and facilitated by various local government units, civil society and people’s organizations, farmer’s groups, youth and religious sectors, 62nd, 79th and 94th Infantry Battalions, police units, among others, a statement from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division said.
Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (6th district, Negros Occ) attended the indignation rally in Kabankalan City, while Mayor Filomeno Reyes, also participated in similar activity in Guihulngan City.
The participants of indignation rallies burned CPP NPA NDF flags, offered prayers and lighted candles for victims of NPA atrocities, and released white balloons to symbolize peace.
Col. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, in a statement said that the 54 years of CPP-NPA-NDF attacks and human rights violations cannot be justified by any ideology or circumstances.
Edralin further said that they condemn to the highest degree the 54 years of NPA’s violent legacy and existence, where they ruined the future of their recruited youths.
Many children were orphaned due to senseless killings and liquidations of NPA, and their futile armed struggle broke their own families, destroyed and damaged properties, stalled progress and disturbed community’s peace.
Brig. Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd Infantry Division commander, in a statement, has lauded the 303rd Infantry Brigade and its partners, for initiating peace and indignation rallies affirming the awareness of the people of Negros of the true nature of the CPP-NPA-NDF as an anti-peace, anti-people, and anti-development terrorist organization.*
