Army Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, 6th Infantry Division commander, speaks during the North Cotabato Joint PPOC and PDRRMC meeting where the province declared the NPA “persona non grata”. (Photo by 6ID)
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The North Cotabato Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) has joined the military in declaring the underground Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA) as “persona non grata” in the area.
“This unified movement of support aims to condemn the actions of the CPP-NPA and its blatant disregard for the country’s search for peace,” Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, said in a statement Saturday.
Sobejana added that the terrorist NPA is no longer welcome in Cotabato as he called on local communities not to allow the radicals to settle in their lands.
“They should be alienated for the cruelty they commit to our people and the poison they feed to our youth,” he said.
The declaration was manifested and agreed upon during the joint PPOC and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) meeting presided by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza on Friday at the provincial capitol in Barangay Amas here.
Also present in the meeting were Sobejana and Brig. Gen. Eliseo Tam Rasco, police director for Region 12.
In a separate statement, Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, AFP Western Mindanao Command chief, described the declaration against the communist group as a development in the multi-sector campaign against insurgency in Central Mindanao.
“We fully support the unified declaration made by the peace council in condemnation of communist rebel fronts in Central Mindanao,” dela Vega said.
He assured that the anti-insurgency campaign is bolstered in cooperation with local governments in the area.
The CPP-NPA Guerilla Fronts 72 and 73 are operating in North Cotabato and are known to be active in the towns of Arakan, Antipas, President Roxas, Magpet, Kidapawan City, Tulunan, and Makilala.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
