PNP blames NPA for spate of killings

The communist New People’s Army (NPA) is responsible for the spate of killings of journalists and leftist activists based on documents seized by troops from rebels, authorities said yesterday.

Director Avelino Razon Jr., "Task Force Usig" commander, said a document taken during a military raid on a rebel camp in Tagkawayan, Quezon last May 23 contained an order to the NPA to conduct operations against "infiltrators among their ranks."

"Nakalagay doon sa nakuhang dokumento na inutos ng Communist Party of the Philippines na magkaroon ng purging against infiltrators in the NPA," he said. 

"Mayroong portion doon na nakalagay na dapat magkaroon ng kampanya laban sa media."

During a meeting with leaders of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez at the Department of Justice in Manila yesterday, Razon said the document contained orders to execute members of militant groups so that these would be blamed on the government.

On the other hand, Gonzalez said the best proof that the NPA is carrying out the killings is their admission of having conducted "Kam-panyang Ahos" in the 80s, which resulted in the death of hundreds of NPA members suspected of being military agents.

"The best proof is admission of the people who were part of the purging and expressing regret (afterwards)," he said.

However, human rights and other cause oriented groups accused the military and the police of the killings as part of the government’s all-out war against communist rebels.

Rachel Tan of Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility said that this could be a new strategy (of the NPA), which is very alarming.

Records of the CMFR showed that under the Arroyo administration, 27 journalists have been killed.