PESANTE-USA CALLS AFP ASSESSMENT THEY WILL ERADICATE THE NPA BY 2010, A BIG BLUFF!

Los Angeles – The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA - a human rights, environmental and a peasant advocacy network based in Los Angeles, called the AFP assessment that they will destroy the New People’s Army (NPA) by 2010, at the end of the President Arroyo’s term “ A big bluff and an empty pipe dream!.”

AFP chief of staff General Hermogenes Esperon declared this assessment yesterday. Esperon said the military has already set the timetable to neutralize the NPA in such a way that the Philippine National Police (PNP) can handle the insurgents without any military support.

Esperon said: "We believe that we have the mechanics for addressing the roots of insurgency and as we go along, we believe that we could dictate a faster pace of operations... and in four years time, we hope to achieve some kind of strategic victory," he said. And by that time, Esperon said, the AFP would be in a better position to put down any armed conflict because of the Philippine Defense Reform Program currently being implemented.

“But what Esperon forgot is that the OPLAN KATATAGAN that was aunched by President Marcos during martial law from 1981 to 1986 was not able to destroy the NPA but instead made it grow by leaps and bounds. Then, the armed struggle became an impetus to bring about the people’s uprising in ESA 1986 that brought down the much hated Marcos regime.” Pesante said.

” Pesante –USA recounted that was what General Esperon was counting on the next OPLAN LAMBAT-BITAG that was implemented by the US-Aquino and the Ramos regime: “An even stronger Armed Forces by 2010 to address the insurgency (problem)," Esperon said. “Over the years, the government significantly decreased the strength of the NPA, from a high of 25,000 in 1987 to only 7,200 armed fighters at present. “

"That (NPA’s current strength) is still a considerable amount of insurgency especially so that the roots of insurgency are still there," Esperon said. This is why the government launched an all out offensive against the communists, he pointed out.

“ But that he dutifully did not say that the AFP success was brought on by the errors committed by the revolutionaries during that time from 1985-1992 when they launched the “strategic counteroffensive” for “premature” regularization and insurrectionism in the urban areas. Once the mistakes were corrected, the revolutionary forces recuperated and now on the right track.” Pesante explained

On the other hand, in fighting one of Asia’s longest-running communist rebellions, Mrs. Arroyo gave the AFP a P1-billion war chest to finance combat operations aimed at wiping out the NPA within the next three years.

The President has tasked the budget department to raise more funding for the poorly equipped AFP to buy attack helicopters and other equipment to fight the protracted insurgency. She stressed the additional P1-billion funding "will give a decisive edge" to the AFP against the 7,000-strong NPA.

” Esperon and Arroyo are day-dreaming. Fourteen years of martial law and another 14 years of combined Aquino-Ramos counter-insurgency wars- OPLAN LAMBAT BITAG I, II and III did not stamped out the armed struggle, can the supposed las four t years of Arroyo-OPLAN BANTAY LAYA can make a big difference?

“Major Rodolfo Aguinaldo once boasted to the TIME magazine ;” Give me five helicopters and I will destroy the NPA in Cagayan Valley.” He retired from the AFP and was punished by the NPA in 2001 but the NPA was still there.

The same with Palparan, he retired without destroying the NPA in Central Luzon. Esperon is treading their boastful and piped dreams path. It is easier said than done.” Pesante-USA concluded.