ELCAC launches ‘truth-tagging’ 

Solidarity counter-propaganda 

CORTES, Bohol, Nov 28 (PIA) – Keeping pace with the senate hearings on the social media propaganda allegedly propagated by left-leaning organizations on the ‘red-tagging of sectoral groups,’ Bohol’s Provincial Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) launched its ‘truth-tagging’ counter-propaganda, November 24, 2020. 

By presenting to the media three rebel returnees who had mouthful of denunciations against the communist terrorist groups hiding in the legitimacy of party-list organizations, Camp Dagohoy authorities believe one does not have to look at the hearings in the senate, to establish the connection between the party-list groups and their beneficiary communist terrorist groups who are terrorizing communities in the mountains. 

The intention was to reinforce the ‘red-tagging,’ with the truth, this is what we call as ‘truth tagging,’ explained army’s Civil Military Operations Officer 1Lieutenant Elma Grace Remonde, in her rationale to the press conference attended by mainstream and online media members. 

PTF ELCAC here presented to the local media ‘Ka Ramon,’ ‘Ka Noli’ and ‘Ka Prapra,’ three of the more recent rebels who have made sense out of the fallacy of “fighting for the poor and yet forcing the same poor to give food to the New People’s Army.” 

With the government’s whole of nation approach now, we are offering our collective efforts with the local government, the army and the police, to send our message of peace across, shared the army’s 47th Infantry Battalion Commanding Officer Colonel Allan Tabudlo during the press conference held at the Camp Dagohoy’s Multi-Purpose Hall. 

“We just can not allow them to die, they deserve to live a peaceful life,” the commanding officer told the media who took turns in asking questions to the rebel returnees who are now getting processed to be incorporated in the government’s enhanced comprehensive local integration program (E-CLIP). 

The three, who voluntarily surrendered to authorities admitted armed men of the communist movement approached them and slowly indoctrinated them with the tenets of communism and slowly reinforced their discontentment with government by repeatedly instigating on corruption, inequality and injustice so their anger against government peaks. 

“We were given monthly allowances,” Ka Noli said upon joining the underground movement. 

But then, it turned out that while he received P1,500 a month, other members were getting P4,500. From a group harping on equality, nobody could explain why members do not get the same amount of allowances. 

The three, it also turned out, were from families who also have elder members working with the underground. 

“Tugnaw, tun-og, gutom ug kakapoy,” were among the usual straws, light they may be, but nevertheless, add up to the burden that the forest warriors have to suffer when they are not comfortably hosted by masa members. 

According to Ka Ramon, they were getting good at repeating the slogan that the government is only good at making promises, and that the NPAs are ready to help. 

“Kini maoy among balikbalikon hangtud nga masilsil sa ilang hunahuna ang propaganda,” Ka Ramon, whose face mask and baseball cap effectively hid his identity, for his and his family’s protection. 

But, what is sad is that, they themselves have been made to believe in an empty promise throughout their dangerous life carrying fire-arms for the rebel movement. 

Beyond that is another equally dangerous thing in the underground movement. 

“Maglisud mi og pangrecruit kon dili name segurado nga kaila, mao nga kadto ra gyud nga mga paryente sa nga naa sa armadong kalihukan ang among maduol,” shared Ka Noli. 

The effect is that there is distrust in the organization and any instance that one becomes suspect, liquidation among members is not far off. 

The same is true with new faces in the communities. 

Afraid that these could be intelligence operatives, even without ascertaining that these are really intelligence operatives, they would be judged. 

“Desisyonan, bisag dili [sakop sa] intelligence,” he said. 

Over all these hardships and the constant fear that the army and police patrols could catch up with them, surrender proved to make sense. 

We learned of the government package of assistance so we could live a peaceful life after the underground movement, and it was a huge reason that motivated us, they agreed. 

Now under the custody of authorities in Bohol, the three are awaiting to complete their reintegration so they could get the package of assistance promised by the ECLIP. 

For the NPAs who used to be actively part of the Militia ng Bayan, a reintegration assistance of P21,000 and an immediate assistance of P15,000 awaits them. 

A livelihood assistance of P50,000 and an immediate assistance of P16,000 is set while the candidate is awaiting for his formal reintegration. 

This is apart from firearms remuneration program which gives value to surrendered firearms which the returnee turns over. 

With the ECLIP, more packages of assistance await them from national government agencies, like technical and vocational job skills training from TESDA, college education fund from DepED, livelihood assistance from DTI, as well as housing assistance from the National Housing Authority. 

The three are among the latest rebel returnees which the government assisted from the 55 who surrendered after 2018, according to Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Mita Tecson. 

For them who are still up in arms in the mountains, you still have the chance to take the way to peace by joining the government, urged Col. Tabudlo, during the presscon. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol) 

OFFER IS GOOD UNTIL IT LASTS. 47IB Commanding Officer Colonel Allan Tabudlo urges rebels who are still up in arms in the mountains to seriously consider the government’s offer for reintegration, as the offer may only be good until it lasts. The government is now arming itself to launch the final offensive to finally end the decades-long armed struggle. With Col Tabudlo is SP Committee on Peace and Order Chair BM Ricky Masamayor during a recent press conference. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)