Duterte turf not safe from NPA

DAVAO CITY – Communist rebels staged a daring attack on President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown of Davao in southern Philippines where they simultaneously torched heavy equipment used in government infrastructure projects in different areas there.

New People’s Army (NPA) gunmen burned 10 construction heavy equipment in the villages of Callawa in Buhangin; Fatima in Paquibato, and Dalagdag in Calinan districts. The recent attacks have stalled road construction projects in those areas.

There was no report of civilian casualties in the attack and it was unknown why the military and police authorities failed to prevent the raid considering the whole of southern Philippines is under an extended period of martial law.

Presidential daughter and incumbent mayor of Davao City, Sarah Carpio, has strongly condemned the rebel attack and branded the raid as “cowardly” and the NPA as a “terrorist group”.

“We condemn the burning of 10 construction heavy equipment by the New People’s Army in three different villages of Davao City... The attacks were downright cowardly and indicate that the NPA is nothing but a terrorist group that deserves our collective rejection and condemnation,” she said in a statement released last week.

Carpio said the NPA’S revolution is one designed to undermine democracy and development through its brand of egregious violence and extremism. The construction of roads in Buhangin, Paquibato and Calinan are now temporarily stalled because of the attacks, she said.

“These road projects are being done by the City Government of Davao and the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to end the condition of chronic poverty in the said areas. The road projects could make the delivery of other basic services to the people faster — including health, education, agricultural development, and liveli- hood. The said projects could change the lives of the people for the better,” Carpio said.

She said the latest atrocities reveal the NPA only intends for people to continue living in a condition of poverty, which they could use as a capital in their propaganda against the government and to justify their presence in the communities where their influence and significance are waning.

The attacks were carried out by rebels after private construction companies rejected extortion demands by the NPA. “And while at it, it is worth noting how this group’s recent attacks were also carried out as a retaliatory action to the refusal of the construction companies involved in the projects to give in to the pressure of extortion by the NPAS. The military and the police have already been tasked to conduct appropriate actions regarding this,” Carpio said as she appealed anew to the public to support the police and military and condemn the rebels.

“Let me reiterate my previous appeal to the people of Davao and to our partners in the peace and development movement— let us support our soldiers and police and let us openly condemn NPA as a terrorist group,” she said.

There was no immediate statement from the NPA which has been fighting for a separate government in the country.