Lorenzana wary of ‘sparrow’ vs NPA

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. DND- PUBLIC AFFAIRS SERVICE

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said his agency will study the proposal of President Rodrigo Duterte to create “sparrow units” to crackdown on communist rebels because these operations poses possible “great danger” if not executed accordingly.

“We will study it very closely. Who will compose it, who will supervise it, who will be the targets. Who will be accountable. Because there is great danger of abuse or mistakes in these undercover operations,” he told reporters Wednesday.

One of the possible aspects he cited was identifying targets: “Baka kamukha lang or ininguso ng ibang tao. One way to prevent this is for someone higher up to give the go signal after careful and thorough vetting.”

“Dapat walang blanket authority yung mga operatives,” he said.

In a speech in Bohol on Tuesday, Duterte said he would create his own “sparrow” unit to go after members of the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“One of these days, I will be forced to create my own ‘sparrow.’ Walang hanapin kung ‘di iyong mga istambay na mga tao dyan, suspected NPAs, at bibirahin din sila,” Duterte said.

The term “sparrow unit” stemmed from the Special Partisan Unit or SPARU of the NPA, which referred to the rebel group’s hit squads.

Duterte scrapped the peace talks with the communist rebels last year due to alleged continuing attacks by rebels on government troops. /jpv

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