NPA taking advantage of Marawi siege — Alejano

MANILA, Philippines -  A Marine captain-turned-lawmaker accused the New People’s Army (NPA) yesterday of taking advantage of the Marawi City siege by attacking provinces where soldiers have been reassigned to Mindanao.

Rep. Gary Alejano of the party-list group Magdalo said he was condemning the recent NPA attacks in Iloilo, Davao Oriental, Davao City and Compostela Valley.

“Obviously, communist rebels are taking advantage of the crisis in Marawi City. A big chunk of government troops is focused on suppressing terrorism in Mindanao right now,” he said.

He said the NPA is attacking areas vacated by soldiers who have been sent to Marawi.

“It is even more disappointing to note that the attacks happened after the communist group supposedly offered help and a ceasefire in Mindanao to let the government focus on fighting terrorism,” he stressed.

Alejano noted that the NPA raided a police station in Iloilo just days after military officials there deployed 500 of their soldiers to augment government forces fighting Islamist militants in Marawi City.

He said it is evident that the NPA and its peace negotiators are saying one thing but doing another.

“In spite of assurances of fidelity on the peace talks from both the National Democratic Front and the government, the NPA continues to act otherwise. Recent and past events reveal that communist leaders in the peace table do not have actual control on NPA units on the ground,” he said.

“As a party to the peace talks, the communist group also has a responsibility for their actions. This cannot be a one-sided love affair. Continuation of peace talks cannot happen without them giving their share and without clear proof that leaders have control over ground forces,” he said.

At the same time, Alejano reiterated his call for President Duterte to remove Cabinet members and other bureaucrats recommended by the communist movement.

Their continued stay in government “could compromise policies and decisions affecting national security,” he said.