F R E E
Subscription to Living, Retiring, Traveling, Business In The Phils. Discussion List
16, 000+ members

New People Army, (NPA)

There are around 5000 to 6000 active NPA (communist party) members spread across the Philippines. In some area, more than in other areas. You find active groups in Central and Southern Luzon, in Leyte, Samar, northern Cebu, and pockets here and there. They only target big businesses for payment of "revolutionary taxes", and police and army detachments. Normally they don't bother regular civilians and don't engage in kidnappings, and as opposed to the Abu Sayaaf gang, they don't bother foreigners. Some criminal gangs pose as NPA in order to extort money, and it is easy to blame some shootings on the NPA, when it may be a soured business relationship behind the shooting.

In my wife's hometown, I can often see NPA guys "on patrol" across a cornfield behind my in-laws house. There are old Marxist slogans posted on signs on trees in the neighborhood. When I visit there, they come around to say hi, and that's it. Never any problems. The only instances when I have heard that a foreigner has been targeted by NPA, the reason has usually been some bad stuff done by the foreigner. I know at least of one case in Northern Luzon where a guy was killed because of repeated child molestation in a small town. I would be more worried about the street gangs in any major US city.

Pete in Cebu October 11, 2006

New Peoples Army Returnees, "I Quit!" 

This story below rings true to me. I have talked with a number of NPA returnees including more than one "Kumander" and the desire to fight corruption and to help reforms was more of a motivator to them than ideology. Their disappointment with communist ideology and the failure to make real inroads on corruption led to their becoming 'returnees'.

Note that to qualify as returnees they must bring in weapons.

Sun.Star Cebu, Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Rebel, wife, and children surrender to Catmon councilor

TO HAVE peace in the family, a ranking rebel officer, his wife and two children surrendered to the Army last week.

Luciano Poro, 30, his wife Roselyn Murab, 24, and their children aged three and four were presented to Catmon Mayor Estrella Aribal yesterday.

Poro, former vice platoon commander of Front 2 of the New People’s Army, is from Amansol, Catmon. He had been with the NPA since 1998. Murab, of Magtagobtob, Danao City, joined the group in 1999.

In a radio dyLA interview, Poro admitted he was one of the rebels who raided an army detachment in Barangay Sumon, Tuburan in October last year. Killed in the raid were Sgt. Orlando Luna, Cpl. Bobby Oscar Licono and Pfc. Joseph Bingil, all of the 78th Infantry Battalion (IB).

After the attack, Poro and his family went into hiding in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

His brother Danilo contacted Catmon Councilor Victoriano Duran, who is also a rebel returnee, to arrange the surrender. Duran contacted the 78th IB.

Poro said he is very grateful that the military treated them well in custody.

Poro said he joined the group after believing it was the way for farmers to own land and solve the problems of the poor.

Murab, for her part, said she joined the group because she didn’t want to go to school and she was in love with Poro. The two met when Poro’s group went to their barangay to recruit members.

They announced to the group their relationship in October 2000. They were married in revolutionary rites in Canlusing, Tuburan on Jan. 17, 2002. A certain Commander Tonyo officiated the wedding.

Aribal said she will officiate a civil wedding for the couple, with 78th IB Commander Jess Alvarez as sponsor.

The Catmon Municipal Government will provide livelihood for the two. (MBG)

Charles Richmond Oct 11, 2006

More Pages