NPA did not observe SOMO
In keeping with the Yuletide celebrations, the government and the rebels declared a ceasefire or Suspension of Military Operation (SOMO) from December 24-26, 2009 and from December 31, 2009 to January 1, 2010. Despite the said truce, the province of Quezon once again drew public attention when a band of Communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels heartlessly burned eight classrooms in Doongan National High School on the early dawn of December 26 turning to ashes an estimated
3.5 Million worth of properties. The rebels even hoisted an inverted Philippine flag at the school’s flagpole before leaving the area haughtily showing their disgrace for our democratic system.
Prior to the above incident, a band of NPA rebels raided a police station in San Narciso town, Quezon, and carted away five(5) M-16 rifles, four(4) shotguns, four(4) 9-millimeter pistols, a .38-caliber
Revolver, ammunition, as well as the wallets of those in the station.
Visibly, the rebels are again at it on showing-off power to intimidate the locals of Quezon, the NPA’s usual way of garnering votes for the nearing elections. As the Communists consider the democratic ways such as the elections, they do not abandon the armed way of “fighting for democracy” thus, the continuous conduct of ruthless acts like the ones in Quezon.
Aren’t we tired of hearing stories of political warlords like the Ampatuans who made use of private armed groups in driving the people to follow their demands or those who forced their way to victory like Rep. Satur Ocampo who used the NPA to induce fear in the people and manipulate their votes?
Furthermore, the Communist Party of the Philippines is at the height of celebrating its 41st founding anniversary when this incident took place. What do these rebels expect the Filipino people to think after
torching a school just to celebrate its founding day?
No casualties were reported and only the burnt building is the evidence of the rebels’ cold-blooded atrocity. Indeed, schools can be rebuilt; incidents like this will fade when another Headline story
comes out; but what do we do about the trauma the school children of Doongan National High School will face after this? What do we do about the mere deprivation for learning and the act’s subliminal message of promoting illiteracy? And what do we do about the rebels and all those who are incessantly abusing the helpless people for their own gain?
Until these all-powerful acting rebels are fully extinguished, it is certain that more and more lives and dreams of innocent civilians will be put to ashes. The NPA claims that they are an organization for
establishing the people’s democratic government. Clearly, this is not the democracy we need.
