8th ID's psywar
gimmicks of “disaster mitigation” and “development projects” scored
By NDF-Eastern Visayas
April
15, 2012
The National
Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas today belittled the 8th Infantry
Division's claims of working for “disaster mitigation” and
“development projects” as psywar gimmicks. “How can the 8th ID's new
chief, Gen. Gerardo Layug, claim to be working for disaster mitigation
when the military is paving the way in the region for large-scale
mining, a major cause of natural disasters like floods and
landslides?” said Fr. Santiago Salas, NDF-EV spokesperson. “The 8th
ID's military operations under Oplan Bayanihan are meant to put down
the people's resistance to large-scale mining, a centerpiece program
of the Aquino regime. Moreover, the 8th ID is busy with road
construction projects to facilitate the movement of troops as well as
the entry of mining firms under military protection in wide swathes of
Samar and Leyte.”
Fr. Salas also warned
the people to fight against the escalation of human abuses under Gen.
Layug, a notorious fascist in the mold of his predecessor in the 8th
ID, Gen. Jovito Palparan. “Gen. Gerardo Layug is tagged as one of
those responsible for the killing in July 2010 in Aklan of Fernando
Baldomero, the first activist to die under the Aquino regime. This
fascist general who was then brigade commander of the 301st IBde
publicly attacked Baldomero in a military radio program for months as
a “frontman of communist terrorists” and thus encouraged his
assassination. But Baldomero was then a town councilor of Lezo, Aklan
and engaged in peaceful struggle as the provincial coordinator of
Makabayan. The people should thus guard against the mean and brutal
Gen. Layug in light of the simmering resistance against large-scale
mining and growing social unrest under the anti-people and
pro-imperialist Aquino regime.”
The NDF-EV
spokesperson also belied the claims of Col. John Bonafos, 802nd IBde
commander, that the NPA will not be able to retake the so-called
“insurgency-free” provinces, particularly in Leyte island, and that
the military is fostering development projects. “Col. Bonafos should
know that he is too late; the New People's Army is already gaining
ground among the people in Leyte and throughout the region who are
restive and oppose the Aquino regime's anti-development agenda of
selling out the country's interests to the imperialists and big
business. The people are furious at Aquino for pushing large-scale
mining, the privatization of the power industry and state services,
the inutility to stop rising fuel prices in the deregulated oil
industry, and other burning social issues. The people likewise despise
the military for its continuing impunity under Oplan Bayanihan, a
fascist pacification campaign for the Aquino regime's pro-imperialist,
anti-people and anti-development agenda. On the other hand, the people
welcome the NPA who are fighting for genuine change and development by
overthrowing the reactionary ruling system. The NPA survived five
previous regimes including a fascist dictatorship and continues to
gain strength. From the strategic defensive, the NPA is now looking
forward to advance to the strategic stalemate in the near future.”
