Victorious raid of Philippine Army – CAFGU detachment in Kalinga, response to Duterte’s call to pulverize the NPA

 

The Chadli Molintas Command of NPA-Ilocos Cordillera hails the Lejo Cawilan Command of NPA-Kalinga for the successful raid of the Philippine Army (PA)-CAFGU detachment in Western Uma, Lubuagan, Kalinga which was executed in the early hours of December 23, 2018. This is the answer of the NPA-Ilocos Cordillera to the arrogant call of Duterte for the AFP-PNP to “annihilate” the NPA. This is also our response to the call of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to intensify tactical offensives against the fascist troops of the terrorist US-Duterte regime.

In the said raid, killed in action was the sergeant cadre man of the detachment while wounded were three CAFGU elements. The detachment was over run where thirty (30) high powered rifles were confiscated including seven M16, seven M14, two M4 and fourteen Garand rifles; and thousands of ammunition.

One red fighter, Roy ‘Ka BK/Rodney’ Tongdo from Balbalan, Kalinga, was martyred in the said battle. The CMC gives its highest salutation to ‘Ka BK’ for offering his life to ensure the victory of the said tactical offensive.

In the entire three quarters of the year 2018, the NPA-Kalinga frustrated the continuous combat operations launched by the 50th IB that covered the towns of Balbalan, Pinukpuk, Lubuagan, Pasil, Tinglayan and Tabuk before they were transferred to Mindanao. The only “accomplishment” the 50th IB can boast of are the recycled fake surrenders of peasants as NPAs in Kalinga. The masses of peasants bore the brunt of these operations that have sowed terrorism in the said areas.

The people of Lubuagan have long been demanding the punishment of the detachment ever since it was forcibly set up by the PA in Western Uma in 2015. Among the crimes of the unit based in the said detachment are the coercion of peasants to join the CAFGU, the contrived surrender of more than one hundred civilians presented as NPAs, the exploitation of women and other abuses committed by the PA and CAFGU on the rights of the people.

While the people’s struggle strengthens and expands under the ever worsening economic and political crisis of the country, Duterte and the AFP-PNP become more savage and act like rabid dogs perpetrating

atrocities against the people struggling for their rights. This only encourages more people to join the NPA and directly participate in the armed struggle.

The victorious raid in Western Uma is part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the CPP. This shows that in the fifty years of advancing the people’s democratic revolution in the region and the entire nation, the NPA continues to grow in strength as the people’s war advances to a higher stage. Just like previous regimes, Duterte’s and the AFP-PNP’s declarations to “crush” the armed revolution are mere empty bragging in a desperate attempt to draw more debts from imperialist banks and investments from big foreign capitalists to support the country’s economy continuously mired in intense crisis. The fascist regime’s pipe dream to “pulverize the NPA” and “end the armed struggle” before mid-2019 will surely fail. Amidst the intensifying crisis of the rapidly rottening semifeudal and semicolonial society, the tyrannic Duterte regime is well on the losing course as it becomes more isolated from the Filipino people and as its ouster from power looms while the people’s war advances to a higher stage until total victory is achieved. ###

 

Victorious raid of Philippine Army - CAFGU detachment in Kalinga, response to Duterte's call to pulverize the NPA