MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) condemned on Monday suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels for the killing of a member of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) in Agusan del Sur.
Citing reports from the Philippine Army, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Felipe Amado, 42, was killed by five suspected NPA rebels while he was participating in the Brigada Eskwela in Lydia Elementary School in the town of La Paz on May 30.
Año said Amado was aboard a motorcycle with a companion heading back to the village after hauling nipa leaves to be used for the construction of a temporary classroom when he was shot dead.
“Talagang wala nang pinipiling pagkakataon ang NPA basta makapatay lang ng puwersa ng gobyerno (The NPA is just out to kill members of state forces). Acts like this are typical of a classic NPA move, right on their lane, in their playbook,” Año said in a statement.
Año stressed that the incident demonstrates the NPA’s “lack of genuine aspiration towards lasting peace for the Filipino people.”
The DILG chief also called on the NPA to “wake up from their hallucinations and twisted ideology” and join the government in marching towards a better country.
“We have not lost hope on you (NPA). Naligaw lang kayo ng landas at nilinlang ng mga kapartido ninyo. Tutulungan namin kayong bumalik sa pamilya ninyo at magbagong-buhay,” he said.
(We have not lost hope on you. You just lost your way and were deceived. We will help you return to your families and start a new life.)
He also urged NPA leaders to take part in local peace talks and communicate with local chief executives. /gsg