PNP threatens to sue NPA for violating anti-terror law if offensives push through

By Ronron
July 26, 2007

The Philippine National Police (PNP) warned on Thursday that any offenses the New People’s Army (NPA) will commit can already be subjected to the Human Security Act of 2007, popularly known as the Anti-Terror Law.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. issued the statement in reaction to the order of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) for its NPA fighters to launched more attacks against government and private offices and installations in response to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last Monday.

“Should the NPA proceed with its avowed attacks, the situation may serve as a test case on how the PNP will apply the provisions of the Human Security Act of 2007 in the fight against communist terrorism,” Pagdilao said in a statement.

The controversial Anti-Terror Law took effect last July 15 despite protests against it by various cause-oriented groups.

The CPP issued its threat of more tactical offensives last Tuesday. “In response to the Arroyo regime’s deceptions, threats and actual fascist attacks, the CPP leadership has directed the NPA to intensify its armed struggle and launch more and more tactical offensives against the Arroyo regime to weaken it and contribute to its speedy ouster,” CPP spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal said in a statement.

Pagdilao described Rosal’s pronouncement as a proof of the NPA’s engagement in “rebellion and insurrection” with the “objective of supplanting the democratic government and way of life with a communist system through violent acts.”

“They attack government troops, law enforcers and even civilians who do not give in to their extortion activities and destroy government as well as private properties, causing widespread and extraordinary fear and panic to the populace. Every step of it constitutes the very elements needed to apply the anti-terrorism law against the NPA,” Pagdilao said.

Nevertheless, Pagdilao said the PNP is taking the NPA’s threats seriously, saying that PNP chief Gen. Oscar Calderon already directed all policemen in the regions to intensify their Internal Security Operations, conduct more patrols in identified NPA-infested barangays, and prioritize the strengthening of their stations, especially those in remote areas.

The 7,100-strong NPA has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside in the last 38 years and the government vowed to crush the movement by 2010 when Arroyo ends her term.

Peace talks between the government and the CPP bogged down in August 2004 after the latter was tagged as a terrorist by foreign governments./DMS