MANILA -- The New People's Army’s (NPA) spree of attacking and destroying civilian targets is aimed at pressuring businesses to give in to their extortion plans, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief, Col. Noel Detoyato said Friday.
The wanton attacks also highlight the communist rebels’ terroristic inclinations, he added.
"The burning spree of heavy equipment being perpetrated by the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army) is meant to continue with their terrorism plans and to pressure the companies to give in to their extortion demands," Detoyato said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The NPAs target the equipment of construction companies because they are soft and undefended targets and destroying them would delay and prevent the government from bringing basic services to rural communities.
Detoyato added that the presence of poverty and lack of critical services give the NPA a strong reason to exist.
The NPA is listed as a terrorist organization in the United States and European Union.
"We are calling on peace-loving Filipinos to express their dismay on this group by denying them logistics support and not voting for their supported candidates and party-lists this coming mid-term elections," the AFP official said. (PNA)
