The Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA) is our society’s enemies.

The region’s police brass echoed this message during an indignation rally staged last August 27 at the Dagupan City plaza to mark the observance  of this year’s National  Heroes’ Day, even as they paid tribute to the victims of alleged CPP-NPA atrocities.

Leading the rally were Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil, regional police director, and Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, Pangasinan police director, with policemen, rebel returnees and other civic groups.

An effigy representing the CPP-NPA was burned as an expression of the police’s continuing fight against these armed groups.

Confettis were also dropped from two helicopters in honor of civilian and police personnel allegedly killed by members of the CPP-NPA.

Placards were also paraded bearing messages condemning the alleged atrocities.

Nerez cited the case of one of police officer, SPO1 Nelson Labiano of Bugallon police station, who was reportedly killed by the NPA in front of a waiting shed night of July 15 without any apparent reason but only as a show of arrogance by the suspects.

“Our dreams were lost, stolen by the bullets of the CPP/NPA,” said Danila, a daughter of Labiano.

Bataoil, for his part, cited the death of PFC Elmer Antonio early this year during an encounter with the armed group in Sinait, Ilocos Sur reportedly undertaking extortion activities during the last electoral campaign, exacting fees from local candidates for the privilege of campaigning in their controlled areas.

Bataoil said both Labiano and Antonio are “the new heroes of our time because they were ready to sacrifice their lives so that others may live”.

Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, Dagupan City police chief, said the event was held in the city since it is the center of  education and one of the CPP-NPA’s main target areas for student recruits.

Agnes Lopez Reaño, alias Ka Tina, a former CPP-NPA member for 18 years, said the 39-year old group has been exploiting the poor and is not helping the country’s development.

“We are all Filipinos… We should fight for the same principles our national heroes like Emilio Aguinaldo had fought for, and not of other foreign people’s principles allegedly being advanced by this group,” she said during the event’s program.

For her part, Ka Nena, another rebel returnee, said she regrets having joined this movement because her family was destroyed by their false principles.

“Up to now, I do not know what justice to demand from this group. What kind  of principle do you call something that engages in cellular site bombing, or bus bombing when its owners refuse to pay revolutionary taxes to them, or raiding detachments and killing the police and the soldiers inside?” she said. #

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