BY VINCE JACOB VISAYA
CAMP MELCHOR F. DELA CRUZ, Gamu, Isabela (April 1, 2023)—The Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP–NPA–NDF) has been declared as persona non grata in Caglayan, Conner, Apayao, the military here said on Friday.
Maj. Rigor Pamittan, 5th Infantry Division spokesman and public affairs chief, said the persona non grata tag was approved through a joint resolution passed by the Sangguniang Bayan and Liga ng Barangay of Conner and was signed by Mayor Jorico Bayaua.
In the resolution, the council members said that for 54 years, the CPP-NPA-NDF has reportedly been imposing atrocities, instilling fear in the community, killing government forces and innocent individuals, and other terrorist activities.
“The residents now condemn the communist guerrillas whose main ideology is to supplant the democratic system of government of the Republic of the Philippines,” Pamittan said.
In 2019, the local government of Conner declared the CPP–NPA–NDF as terrorists “as a way of showing support in the campaign in ending local communist armed conflict.”
As this developed, the Provincial and Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (Elcac) members trooped to Sitio Salilig, Liglig, and Ubel all in Barangay Gawaan, Balbalan for an outreach mission to aid residents affected by wars between the communist rebels and government soldiers.
The Provincial and Balbalan Social Welfare and Development Offices spearheaded the distribution of relief goods, school supplies to pupils, and the conduct of stress debriefing.
Residents were assured of the government’s continuing intervention in terms of projects and services and security operations to free once and for all the villages from the clutches of communist influence, Pamittan added.
The team also plans to conduct follow-up visits to ensure the people that they have recovered from their distress, he said.