RPM-P, RPA-ABB in Panay intact, says official
An official of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas (RPM-P) and its armed wing Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) on Panay Island has denied that their members on the island had withdrawn their support of RPM-P chair Nilo de la Cruz.
Ka Rolly, a member of the regional committee of the RPM-P, said they support the expulsion from the party of Stephen Paduano, alias Carapali Lualhati, RPA-ABB national commander, Veronica Tabara, RPM-P secretary general, and Ariel Sabandar, chief of the RPM-P in Mindanao.
"We recognize and abide by the authority of the legal and legitimate party center under Nilo de la Cruz," Ka Rolly said in a telephone interview. "The RPM-P and RPA-ABB in Panay is intact except in Aklan."
He belied the claim of Paduano and other RPM-P-RPA-ABB leaders who held a press conference in Talisay City in Negros Occidental last week that they represent three-fourths of the group's membership.
"That's a lie. The overwhelming number of our members and leaders support Nilo," said Ka Rolly.
He said Paduano's support is only limited in Negros Occidental "and a few elements including some" in Aklan.
Paduano's group has denounced the expulsion order of Dela Cruz against the three leaders and accused him of usurpation of authority. They also claimed that party members have declared a loss of confidence of De la Cruz and plans to replace him with a new leadership.
But Ka Rolly said it was Paduano who was responsible for violating organizational processes and usurpation of authority.
He said Paduano secretly met with some of their leaders and members in Aklan and has convened "illegal" meetings to campaign against Dela Cruz including a national gathering of supporters of Paduano and Tabara held on April 9.
Ka Rolly claimed they also supported the expulsion of Tabara because she allegedly committed violations on their policies on finance that involved party funds.
Ka Rolly said they hope that their internal differences would be resolved without armed confrontation between the two factions.
The RPA-ABB broke away from Communist Party of the Philippine-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) over ideological differences shortly after 1992. It signed a peace agreement with the government on December 2000.