Rejoinder to the lies of Lt Col Batara and Brig Gen Pamuspusan
Lieut Col Joel Benedict Batara, CO of the 61st IB-PA and Brig Gen Rene Pamuspusan, RD of PRO-6 are again on to their lies and psywar gimmick. In a duet they declared that a number of local government officials have links with the CPP-NPA especially during the past mid-term election and that they have identified these politicians.
After five months of silence since the May election, Batara and Pamuspusan have revived the issue declaring that there are 16 mayors, vice-mayors and councilors in Iloilo province, 7 in Capiz and 9 in Negros Occidental that are under NPA protection. However they could not yet reveal the identities since they still have to ‘validate’ if these local executives are reciprocating and giving support to the NPA in return, insinuating a ridiculous one-sided protection racket and reflecting an obvious psywar trick.
Walk your talk Batara and Pamuspusan, name names and most of all present your evidences. Do not just shoot people in the head and villify your victims afterwards to justify your murders the way of your big boss Ninja Chief Rodrigo Duterte.
This so-called revelation from Batara and Pamuspusan has come at a time that the PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde is under fire for direct involvement in the Ninja cops drug issue being accused by his fellow PNP generals. This has also come after the AFP-PNP’s persona non grata ploy has failed to coerce most LGUs here in Panay to issue declarations according to their dictates.
Batara’s and Pamuspusan’s NPA protection expose however is a futile attempt to divert the Ninja cop issue towards maligning the revolutionary movement and intimidating local government officials. What Batara has failed to admit is that his troops have suffered heavy casualties in encounters with the NPA last September 20, 23 and 25 in Miag-ao, Maasin and Igbaras towns in Iloilo. While the NPA has admitted to one killed and one wounded comrade, Batara has declared only one wounded Sgt Johnny Labrador but has fallen silent about his killed and other wounded troops.
After investigation and validation of information, we have gathered 15 names of killed and wounded 61st IB troops. On Sept 20 these were: Ruben Ashvill, Junie Lebres, Ruben Mandalay, Miguel Lopez, Allan Fernandez, Alvin Riqual, Marvin Bernardo, Ismael Lamsin and Lt Panero. Casualties on Sept 23 were: Ryan Alejo, Stephen Cosedo, Jay Giray, Zyms Guevara Isnaji, Melvin Loria and Jason Labrador.
In retaliation for their losses the 3rd Infantry Division has deployed its 301st Brigade forces in 7 towns of Iloilo concentrating in Miag-ao, San Joaquin and Igbaras. While claiming that the NPA in Panay is only less than a hundred, Division Commander Major General Dinoh Dolina has employed about 300 ground forces in the 7 towns and two 105 howitzers stationed in Pinaopaoan, Igbaras obviously to sow fear and terror among the masses and deny the New People’s Army of its mass base.
In its more than fifty years of struggle the revolutionary movement has gone through cannon and machine-gun fires but the revolutionary masses and their people’s army have remained steadfast and undaunted against vicious enemy attacks and brutal atrocities. The fascist dictator and sick psycopath killer Duterte aims to pulverize the people’s resistance under his watch. All past fascist regimes have had this delusion but all have failed miserably. Duterte is no exception.
The US-Duterte tyrannical regime exposes and isolates itself from the masses day by day due to its corrupt, brutal and treasonous policies. The people’s armed and unarmed resistance in the countryside, cities and even abroad cannot be pulverized. The New People’s Army nationwide including in Panay continues to grow stronger and more resolute to effectively frustrate Duterte’s Oplan Kapanatagan and win more battles.##