FALSE CLAIM. Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr., commander of the Philippine Army's 2nd Infantry "Jungle Fighter" Division (2ID), is shown speaking to newsmen in a file photo taken at the 2ID Headquarters, Camp Gen. Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal. On Sunday (Nov. 10, 2019), he branded as fake news a claim by an alleged New People's Army spokesperson that five soldiers were killed in an encounter between the rebels and government troops in General Nakar, Quezon. (File photo by Saul E. Pa-a)
CAMP GEN. CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal -- The Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division (2ID) on Sunday condemned the New People’s Army's (NPA) act of propagating fake news and dismissed as false claim its statement that five were "killed" in an ambush last Friday in General Nakar, Quezon.
Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr., 2ID commander, said the NPA’s action is a reflection of its desperate attempt to gain relevance in the community as well as to cover up the terrorists’ imminent downfall.
“Any self-respecting spokesman would know that sowing lies and deceit among the people is unacceptable and such despicable act of the NPA’s spokesperson is aggravated by their attempt to use mainstream media,” Burgos said.
He referred to a statement of Eliza dela Guerra, an alleged NPA spokesperson, pertaining to the terrorists’ ambush on some 50 soldiers and police officers in General Nakar’s Barangay Lumutan at around 12:40 p.m.
The General Nakar police station, through its chief of police, has denied the incident and said it was “not aware of that supposed incident”.
Burgos, however, confirmed that government troops launched an armed engagement against the NPA terrorists during their Focused Military Operations on Friday afternoon in Sitio Labno, Barangay Lumutan.
He added that there was no casualty recorded on the government side while the enemies were suspected to have incurred losses based on the discovery of bloodstains on the rebel’s escape routes.
“We hope that the media will not tolerate and glorify acts that bastardize the noble profession of journalism by giving attention to baseless claims such as this report,” Burgos said.
He also called on NPA terrorists to respect the members of the media “by not weaponizing them through psychological operations fully knowing that information given to them should at all times be factual, truthful and verifiable.”
He added that the communist group's propaganda to destabilize the government and recruit the youth and Indigenous Peoples (IP) has been used by the NPA as its main tool for party and army building efforts to support its now deteriorating insurgency movement in the country.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
