The Palawan Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF ELCAC) has denied all of New People’s Army’s (NPA) accusation against the government and condemned their “illegal acts.”
The PTF-ELCAC released its press statement after more than a week when a shooting encounter transpired in Bgy. New Agutaya, San Vicente last May 20 that resulted to the wounding of 2nd PMFC’s member and the recent vile attack allegedly also by the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) last May 28 on CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) Detachment in Bgy. Bunog, Rizal which resulted to the death of a civilian worker and wounding of a CAA member.
The Task Force members reiterated that those “atrocious, illegal and inhuman” acts were indicators about the non-sense and impulsive operational strategies and doctrines of the CTGs in overthrowing the government through armed means, even despite the crisis.
“The accusation of widespread starvation or famine, poverty and discontentment among the Palawenos is a blatant lie. It is only geared to arouse ill feelings and animosity to the government, and disunity among the people. The truth is that, the Provincial Government and other government agencies are working hand-in-hand to provide or extend ‘ayuda’ to every Palaweno,” a part of the PTF-ELCAC press statement they released today, June 1.
The Task Force criticized and did not believe to NPA’s denial on their involvement on the incident in San Vicente. They stated instead that the group sowed disunity amidst COVID-19 pandemic without giving regard to the welfare of the people and the sacrifices of government workers that extending their services amidst the threat of COVID-19 just to provide help to Palawenos. “
…[I]t was all over the news that the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) are involved in the attack against the government troops providing security assistance to the frontliners (health workers, LGU and DSWD workers, volunteers) during this crisis,” they said.
PTF-ELCAC added that those “ambuscades” against the police and military personnel are part of CTGs operational strategy and doctrine to sow terror in reiterating their ideology.
In line with this, the government’s Task Force challenged the members of the CPP-NPA CTGs to be part instead on the productive efforts to fight the havoc of COVID-19 rather than being offensive. And once again called on the remaining CTG members to surrender and return to the folds of the law.
“The PTF-ELCAC is working together with all the government agencies to provide necessary needs in whatever capacity to all Palaweños to help them be safe and bring normalcy in their lives.”
The Task Force enjoins all Palaweños to join together in condemning the illegal acts of the CTGs that according to them, only bring sabotage to the productive efforts of the government during these trying times.