AFP eyes 'troop movement' in Red-infiltrated brgys
A tight watch is underway in Western Visayas villages particularly those known to have been infiltrated by communist insurgents.
This, as the region and elsewhere in the country is set to mark Labor Day come Friday. With the celebration usually marked by anti-government protests and rallies, Captain Lowen Gil Marquez told The News Today(TNT) a pre-emptive and precautionary move is necessary.
Marquez is the commanding officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 3rd Civil Relations Group.
“We are concerned of the possible infiltration of these communist terrorists New People's Army (NPA) and saboteurs in the communist party legal front organizations,” Marquez began. “They are known to take advantage of any situation and celebration so we are monitoring these barangays. We want to make sure that rallies will be peaceful and orderly.”
Captain Marquez added that further to watch out for and expect are “hallucinating issues” used by the group.
“It is the same thing and scenario every year. Same rehashed complaints against the government,” he continued. “So we want to let our peace-loving citizens to stay away from these Godless members of the communist party. It is highly possible that they will go down from the mountains where they are staging their own futile battle against the government and along the way, victimize innocent civilians. We are closely monitoring that. ”
And like all other occasions of government-bashing, TNT learned that yet another watch will be made on the presence of minors.
Common sight in anti-government rallies participated by militant groups here are toddlers to pre-schoolers dragged by rallyists. The practice is deemed illegal with the children knowingly placed in harm's way.
Marquez has since filed a complaint for child abuse against leftist “people's organizations” now pending before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).