NPA may be a target under the anti-terror bill — Army chief

MANILA, Philippines — The New People’s Army (NPA) could very well fit the description of “terrorist” under the new anti-terrorism bill, which is now awaiting the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine Army said on Wednesday.

“Of course, if they espouse violence, and we have seen how they have killed innocent civilians, even us in the uniformed and security sectors, employing treachery, ambushes and using IEDs,” Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, commanding general of the Philippine Army, said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if the NPA will also be a target of the proposed measure.

“I don’t think, with that, they are no different than other terrorists so they are included because they are well within the definition of what terrorism means, who terrorists are in this new anti-terror bill,” he added, as he admitted that the armed group may be a target under the enhanced anti-terror law.

Gapay said the bill, once signed into law, would help enable the military to crush the decades-long communist insurgency, which he said has been taking its toll in the country’s economy.

“This bill would also enable us to attack that umbilical cord so that we could prevent and hopefully and finally end this communist insurgency,” he said.

However, Gapay said sympathizers of the NPA “don’t have to worry (about) anything,” as long as they do not support the communist group in terms of finances or logistics.

“You can express yourselves as long as you don’t espouse armed violence to further your objectives. Civil rights are protected in the new anti-terror law. So they don’t need to worry about that,” he said.

Amid doubts on possible abuse of the proposed measure, Gapay also assured that law enforcers will focus on going after terrorist groups and asked for public support on the bill so that the country’s problem on terrorism will be dealt with accordingly.

The controversial bill, signed by the leaders of both houses of Congress, was transmitted on Tuesday to Duterte for his signature.

Duterte previously declared the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing NPA as terrorist organizations. The Department of Justice also filed a petition to ask a Manila court to legally affirm the terrorist tag against these groups.

EDV