Sultan Kudarat town declares CPP-NPA persona non grata

COTABATO CITY -- Officials of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, declared on Monday the communist rebels operating in the peripheries of their town as persona non grata.

The rejection of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the National Democratic Front (NDF),) and its armed wing, New People’s Army (NPA), came about as Sangguniang Bayan (SB) members inked a resolution last week denouncing the communist movement in the area following a peace and order council meeting.

“A resolution denouncing the atrocities and ideologies of the communist terror group (CTG) or CPP/NDF/NPA and declaring the same as persona non grata as support to the campaign of the Duterte administration against the terrorist group,” part of their declaration read.

On Monday, members of the SB, led by Councilor Datu Zahir Mamalinta, concurrent council committee chair on peace and security, burned the communist flag in front of the municipal hall grounds, signifying their stand against communism.

Mamalinta said because of the resolution, he and his family have lately been receiving threats from the communist group through calls and text messages.

“We are trying to deliver the services to our people as much as we can despite potential threats in our lives and our community,” he said over a local radio interview.

“We can do all these things because we have the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines that are always ready to protect our community,” he added.

Mamalinta noted that the people of Columbio are safer and comfortable having the presence of the law enforcers in their community.

The CPP-NDF-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.