AFP chief of staff to LGUs: Declare Reds persona non grata

The Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr., urged other local governments to follow the example of Sibagat town in Agusan del Sur, which formally condemned the communist rebels.

In a statement on Monday, Madrigal lauded the municipality for declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) persona non grata in a Dec. 21, 2018, council resolution.

“We hope that more LGUs (local government units) will finally recognize the need to take similar actions against the NPA and its front organizations and join the whole-of-nation approach to completely annihilate the communist armed conflict,” he said.

NPA raid

The Sibagat town council issued the resolution following a Dec. 19, 2018, raid by the CPP-NPA at the new Tubigon Patrol Base where 12 soldiers and militiamen were abducted and several firearms were taken.

Sibagat Mayor Maria Liza Evangelista and the municipal legislative council unanimously approved the resolution condemning alleged atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA.