End of the road
Dear Editor,
The recent death of New People’s Army leader Ericson Legazpi Acosta and his comrade Joseph Jimenez in a clash with government troops in Kabankalan City on Wednesday is another “huge blow” to the communist-terrorists movement in Visayas Regions and mostly in Negros Island.
Acosta, also known as “Raffy” and “Fredo” is the NPA’s first deputy secretary for Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor and head of the Political Unified Committee in the Visayas. He is the husband of the late Kerima Tariman, a female NPA leader who died in a legitimate encounter with elements of 79IB in Silay City on 22 August 2021.
Contrary to the propaganda claims of the National Democratic Front that Acosta was an NDF consultant, peasant organizer, and poet, he and Jimenez were killed in a legitimate encounter and pursuit operations with ground forces in Makilo, a mountain community in the village of Camansi of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on 30 November 2022.
As expected, the CPP-NPA-NDF has been very quick to exploit the incident- a wornout ploy to discredit the government troops and win public sympathy as they always do whenever they suffer major setbacks.
As their propaganda aims to glorify Acosta’s death to cover up his involvement in the NPA’s underground activities and atrocities, they must realize that they can no longer manipulate and deceive the peace-loving Filipino people and that violence has no place in a civilized community of the Visayas.
The long arm of the law has finally caught up with Acosta. Unfortunately, the consequences of his atrocities and violence led to a tragic ending.
He orchestrated numerous NPA atrocities in Negros Island including other neighboring provinces, particularly the ambush of Binalbagan police early this year, countless recruitments of farmers and students, extortion activities, and other NPA violent activities.
Based on the informants and former rebels, Acosta also conducted numerous NPA political trainings in different hinterland areas and communities in Negros Island to revitalize both the NPA and their politico-military organizations or underground organizations.
It is believed that his death is the result of the continuing coordinative effort of the populace who had grown weary of the NPA menace and the unrelenting commitment of Army troops to protect the community from the NPA terrorists.
It is the voice of the people that makes the NPA terrorist irrelevant and likewise, it is the resiliency of the Negrenses to recognize the truth that will set Negros Island free from the lies and propaganda that put the lives of Negrense people in danger.
Now, justice has been served for those innocent civilians and their communities that the NPA has victimized for several decades.
For these people, Ericson Acosta is not a poet, songwriter, or peasant organizer but the leader of a terrorist group that has sowed fear.
His death will greatly affect the plans of the communists to plot violence against the peace-loving people on this side of the country and hopefully could be a blow for the eventual collapse of the communist terrorist group and will usher in eventual peace in the regions.
Likewise, his death will bring the remaining NPAs to their realization to choose the path of peace and lead a normal life. As one, it is nearly time that no more Negrenses will close their doors and windows at nightfall and let the evils of communism and terrorism take over their land. MAJOR JOE PATRICK A MARTINEZ PA Group Commander 3rd Civil Relations Group Civil Relations Service, AFP Camp Lapu-lapu, Apas, Cebu City 0977 810 5854