Locals seek Army's help vs communist 'rice bandits'
Money or life? Better yet, rice, money or life?
Such appear the choices now for locals in at least two villages in two towns of the province of Iloilo. Subjects of latest harassments and extortion activities reportedly by ragtag members of the communist New People's Army (NPA), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) here were called anew to protect the area.
In a news release sent to The News Today (TNT), Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, commanding officer of the AFP's 3rd Civil Relations Group, identified the affected barangays as Barangay Tigbanaba of Igbaras, Iloilo and Barangay Tabionan of Leon, Iloilo.
Confirmation made by the AFP disclosed the presence of some nine communist terrorists in Igbaras under the Southern Front Committee led by a certain Ka Jess.
"The people in Igbaras complained that the residents in the barangay are being pressured not to help in the implementation of the farm to market roads here. The terrorists also demands for weekly rice allowance in sitios that the poorest of the masses live," Captain Marquez in a press statement went. "There were even instances where an NPA asset was made to fire shots indiscriminately thus instilling fear amongst the community. Where now is there disciplinary action of the CPP/NPA hierarchy?"
Similar scenario in Leon, Iloilo, the AFP continued, where reported presence of at least six communist terrorists were likewise reported.
"A certain Mamerto led the rice collection and rice extortion. Worse, a group of seven would also eat here that causes the affected families to borrow rice from other houses... they were compeled to give and feed the CPP/NPA extortionists," the AFP news release continued.
As such, Captain Marquez, said the AFP in Western Visayas will work even harder "and will not permit these terrorists to continue their extortion activities, anti-development moves and human rights violations."
TNT learned that ongoing government operations were strengthened in the affected villages even as community support against the communist presence here has since been renewed.