AFP bares purge sanctioned by NPA

The military bared yesterday detailed plans of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas to purge its ranks of suspected spies and informants.

Dubbed "Paglilinis Bushfire (sa mga nakapasok na mga ahente ng kaaway)," the document contained orders from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to the NPA to cleanse its ranks of suspected infiltrators.

The document was among those seized by army troops during encounter with a group of NPA rebels last May 23 in Tagkawayan, Quezon.

"The document lay down the guidance of the highest organ of the Communist Party of the Philippines against government troops and suspected military agents within the underground movement and its front organizations," said Army spokesman Maj. Ernesto Torres Jr.

Torres stressed the document bolstered suspicions that the NPA is behind the spate of murder of activists in recent months which is primarily blamed on the government by militant and human rights groups.

"Based on reports and evidence gathered, the CPP-NPA is into these purging activities again not only because of paranoia for suspected government agents but also for deeper motives that support its armed struggle," he added.

Torres quoted the captured document in ordering all NPA units to organize "special teams and commands" to carry out the purging against suspected government spies and "disloyals."

"The CPP leadership is of the belief that with the current political, social, economic and security situations in the country, all killings and executions of members of militant organizations will be passed on as repressive measure of the present government to maintain its hold to power," Torres said.

Citing military records, Torres said present purging within the ranks of the NPA and its front organizations is no different from the CPP’s "Kadena de Amor, Takip Silim, Kampanyang Ahos, Operation Missing Link, Zombie, Olympia," to name a few.

He said the purge resulted in the killing of thousands of NPA cadres and sympathizers.

In the case of Operation Missing Link, hundreds of corpses buried in a mass grave was discovered by government troops in the jungles of Quezon.

Responding to accusations that the military is behind the spate of killings and disappearances of leftists, Torres challenged the CPP-NPA to come up with a solid evidence to support their accusations.

Torres said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is supporting the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its efforts to identify the people or group behind the spate of killings of activists.

"The military supports the PNP in its efforts to bring justice to the victims of the recent killings and purging activities," Torres said.

Torres added the AFP is intensifying its internal security operations to prevent the CPP-NPA hit squads from launching more tactical offensives.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales has earlier cited the "Bushfire" document in his claims that the CPP leadership has revived its infamous internal purges in 1980s to cleanse its ranks of misfits and traitors.

Gonzales said the recent spate of killings of militant leaders bore the style and trademark of the "sparrow" unit of the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB), the urban hit squad of the NPA.

He pointed out most of the victims are members of organizations known to be legal fronts of the communist movement.

Make the turnaround

A former communist leader claimed the CPP-NPA has been implementing "a clear-cut policy" in killings, making it difficult for militant groups to deplore the communists in the murder of innocent civilians, soldiers and policemen.

"Why is it easy for militant groups to condemn the assassinations of members of their allied organizations and find it hard to denounce the atrocities committed by the NPA, when it is the latter that has a clear-cut policy on killings," said Pastor Alcover of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD).

While militant leaders claim they want to achieve peace, Alcover said they find it difficult for the public to believe them because of their "double standard" in making sweeping accusations against the military while ignoring the violence committed by the NPA.

Alcover dared militant leaders and their organizations to denounce the NPA, instead of resorting to their usual propaganda ploy of making sweeping accusations against the military for the murders.

Alcover revealed the internal purges are a part of life in the NPA, because of the constant threat that their ranks had been infiltrated by government agents and informants.

From 1982 to 1989, and up to the early 1990s, more than 7,000 rebels brutally killed and tortured under the communist organization’s "anti-militarization campaigns," Alcover said in an interview with ANC.

He pointed out the discovery of several "killing fields" or mass graves which had been dug up containing the remains of victims summarily executed and tortured by the NPA.