Gov’t to NPA: Join relief, rehab effort

MANILA, Philippines - The government peace panel urged the communist New People’s Army (NPA) to change its mode of armed resistance against the government and adopt instead “unarmed resistance” and participate in the national rehabilitation efforts for the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

The government said the NPA rebels are not helping and continue to harass and hamper relief efforts.

“Our armed forces and police have changed their mode of operations from armed resistance to unarmed resistance, rescue, relief and rehabilitation in Yolanda-affected areas. We invite our brothers and sisters in the New People’s Army to do the same by participating in this national effort,” the government panel said.

“Today, in the wake of Yolanda, the most powerful storm in human memory, the entire country and most of the world are engaged in the most massive relief and recovery operations in our history.”

The government panel said each Filipino is doing his share in the rehabilitation effort for typhoon victims.

The panel said the government’s task is massive and it needs all the help it can get.

They said the global community has responded generously and many Filipinos have answered the call to provide all kinds of relief to the victims and their families and are gearing for the challenge of long-term reconstruction.