THE National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) yesterday said communist rebels are now using a new tactic to inflict casualties on government troops and sow “maximum terror” to the public.
In a joint press briefing with Education spokesperson Michael Tan Poa at the central office of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Pasig City, NTF-ELCAC executive director Ernesto Torres Jr. said a series of armed encounters in the Bicol region starting in January this year showed that the rebels are now using areas near schools to bait security forces to respond.
Torres said the rebels would hang tarpaulins and other materials containing their propaganda near schools and when security forces respond to tear down the materials, they would be fired upon or hit with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
“It’s been happening since the start of the year. There is now a pattern. They use tarpaulins containing their propaganda and IEDs. What is deplorable is they put the tarpaulins and IEDs near or in the vicinity of schools,” Torres also said.
Torres said schools are “peace zones” and as such must be free from any armed conflict.
“We are alarmed and horrified by the pattern of ruthless and indiscriminate acts instigated by the CPP-NPA near our public schools in flagrant and utter disregard of the safety and welfare of our teachers, learners and the community,” he said.
Torres cited five encounters in Masbate and Camarines Sur where he said the communist rebels used the said tactics.
He said in January 9, the rebels put propaganda materials just 1.2 kilometers away from an elementary school in Molino, Masbate, triggering a firefight with responding security forces.
“We were able to recover five high-powered firearms and 17 anti-personnel mines in the area,” he said, adding this was followed by another clash on February 9 in Cawayan town that took place just 200 meters away from an elementary school.
Torres said five NPA members were killed and four others were captured in the said encounter, which also led to the recovery of six high-powered firearms.
On March 20, another encounter took place just 200 meters away from the Villahermosa National High School in Cawayan town that resulted to the death of an Army soldier.
On March 22, Torres said the rebels fired and detonated an IED on security forces who responded after getting reports that tarpaulins and posters containing the rebel movement’s propaganda were seen around 300 meters away from the Lucsuhan elementary school in Placer town.
