Army Engineers Finish Laguna Farm-to-Market Roads

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / August 31, 2009) – Army engineers have finished the construction of farm-to-market roads in five remote villages in the town of Liliw in the province of Laguna, southeast of Metro Manila, officials said on Monday.

The Army’s 51st Engineering Brigade headed by General Felizardo Simoy recently handed over the five roads worth more than P12 million to Liliw Mayor Cesar Sulibit and the five village chieftains in a ceremony attended by many residents and local government officials.

Colonel Daniel Lucero, commander of the Army’s Civil-Military Operations Group, said the total length of the five road projects is 10.2-kilometers and was funded through the government’s Kalayaan Barangay Program.

He said the recipients of the farm-to-market road projects were the villages Ibabang San Roque, Ilayang San Roque, Silangang Bukal, Kanlurang Bukal and Novaliches.

“The residents, most especially our farmers, will benefit greatly from these farm-to-market roads. Farm produce and other agricultural products can now get to the markets more easily and it will hasten the town’s economy. The five villages are only among the initial 500 pilot areas identified nationwide to benefit from the program,” Lucero said.

He said the Kalayaan Barangay Program is a national government’s peace building initiative intended to alleviate the living condition of the farmers in far-flung villages.

The program, conceptualized in 2005, hopes to bring peace and development in the poorest rural and conflict-affected villages in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

Philippine Maoist rebels bomb 2 delivery vans

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 10, 2009) – Suspected New People’s Army rebels bombed two delivery vans they allegedly held up in Iloilo province in central Philippines, officials said.

Officials said the rebels, numbering about two dozens, flagged down the vans on a village in the town of Igbaras, carted cigarettes and bombed the vehicles owned by Mega Via Corporation before retreating to the hills.

“The NPA rebels carted away six boxes of assorted brands of cigarettes before destroying the vans,” said Colonel Daniel Lucero, commander of the Philippine Army’s Civil-Military Operations Group.

It was unknown if the drivers were unhurt in the attack.

He said the rebels were also behind many extortion activities in western Visayas. He also accused senior NPA leaders of pocketing extortion monies which rebels call “revolutionary” taxes.

“The extortion scheme relentlessly imposed by the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front and the NPA on businessmen only enriches senior communist cadres at the expense of the lives of lowly guerillas mostly of peasant origin who wage arduous and resolute armed struggle in the countryside.”

“Some senior party cadres even live in a lucrative lifestyle overseas or within the comforts of urban exclusive villas here in our country. The bulk of the fees exacted by the communist movement are controlled by the central leadership of the dictatorial organization, benefiting only those senior party cadres who are at the helm of the organization’s leadership,” Lucero said.

He added that the huge collection generated by the rebels enabled senior party cadres to send their children to exclusive and international schools.

Lucero did not identify any of the NPA leaders he accused of pocketing extortion money, but said most of the information came from former rebels who surrendered to the government.

“Needless to say, those business establishments that refused to submit to these extortion demands are subjected to the CPP-NPA-NDF’s terror acts through the use of sheer violence, threat and intimidation. And Mega Via Corporation has become a new entry in the list of companies which suffered this lecherous act of the NPA,” Lucero said.

The NPA has been waging a secessionist war the past four decades. (Mindanao Examiner)

NPA Rebels Hit Back On AFP Reports About Leader

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 1, 2009) – Philippine communist rebels branded as propaganda a military report linking a senior guerrilla leader on sex scandals and money laundering activities in Mindanao.

Army Colonel Daniel Lucero, commander of the Civil-Military Operations Group, said Leoncio Pitao, head of the New People’s Army’s Pulang Bagani Command, had abused several women rebels and siphoned off funds collected from extortion activities in the southern Philippines.

Lucero said the report on Pitao, whose nom de guerre is Kumander Parago, came from former rebels who had surrendered to the government in recent years. “The accounts here were revealed by Parago’s former followers who are now working with the government to restore the wellbeing of our nation which is being wrecked by a noxious social
belief,” he said.

The NPA said: “The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has just made official its policy of adding another dimension to its counterrevolutionary war under the mantle of the Arroyo regime’s Enhanced National Internal Security Plan notoriously known as Oplan Bantay Laya II or OBL II. Shortly after General Victor Ibrado hinted about adding new parameters to its counter-insurgency program - citing the difficulties encountered in achieving its mid-2010 goals - the AFP’s black propaganda machinery took off with its rehashed vilification campaign against leaders of the revolutionary movement.”

Ibrado is the AFP Chief-of-Staff.

“The new dimension General Ibrado was talking about - it came to pass - was directly concocted out of the latest showbiz scandal that has since pre-occupied the national mass media. Taking cue from his higher ups, Colonel Daniel Lucero of the Philippine Army’s Civil Military Operations Group presented his own sex scandal and corruption expose, against Leoncio “Ka Parago” Pitao, Red commander of the NPA’s 1st Pulang Bagani Company in Southern Mindanao,” Rigoberto Sanchez, a rebel spokesman, said in a statement.

Lucero said Pitao was also charged and found guilty of embezzling NPA funds, mostly extortion money collected from businesses in Mindanao. He also alleged that Pitao’s son molested female NPA members.

“Aside from all those sexual molestation charges, Parago was also found guilty by the Communist Party of the Philippines of pocketing NPA funds. Despite of the disciplinary actions imposed on him, he still retained his command – the Pulang Bagani. And as revealed by his former followers, Leoncio Pitao pockets an average of five million pesos at least every quarter of the year and these came from extortion activities - from different business establishments in Davao area - which he embezzles for his personal use. His family is reportedly living in affluence.”

“In a similar fashion, CTL Ryan Pitao, a son of Parago, was also revealed to have sexually molested a number of female members of the Pulang Bagani Command, which Parago is said to be tolerating,” Lucero said.
But the NPA branded the accusations as an “ill-conceived character assassination.”

“For all intents and purposes, Colonel Lucero’s exposé is nothing but a lowest level type of an ill-conceived character assassination scheme. AFP psychological operation run alongside its murderous campaign of OBL-mandated extrajudicial killing that has victimized hundreds of activists, unarmed civilians and non-combatants that included Ka Parago’s daughter Rebelyn,” Sanchez said.

Pitao’s daughter was abducted in Davao City on March 4. Her naked body was found the next day floating in a shallow creek in the village of San Isidro in Davao del Norte’s Carmen town. Her family said the woman’s body bore torture marks and was believed raped.

The NPA accused soldiers and civilian informants linked to the brutal killing of the woman and had already killed four of them - Ruben Bitang, Macky Estremos, Marcelino Payot and Bobong Gambuta. The military denied it was behind Pitao’s murder.

“It is quite clear that the AFP has had utilized all imaginable combat, intelligence and special operations against units and leaders of the NPA. They have killed many leaders and members of militant and progressive organizations and continue to place an even larger number in the AFP Order of Battle. Thus, Colonel Lucero’s cheap propaganda gimmick comes as no surprise as he merely rides on a crest of widespread public attention generated by the latest scandal to rock the Philippine entertainment scene,” Sanchez said.

“Colonel Lucero of the AFP top brass would be well-advised if they look into the endemic corruption that is a plague in the AFP organization. The Filipino people are convinced that a cabal of AFP generals are lording it over the AFP, siphoning public funds to their pockets as has been credibly revealed during the Oakwood Mutiny and the recent Western Mindanao Command corruption as disclosed by Navy Lt. SG Nancy Gadian, among others,” he further said.

Gadian has accused senior military officials of pocketing funds intended for a joint US-Philippine military exercises in Mindanao. The military said it is investigating Gadian’s allegations, but also ordered her arrest after she spoke to the media about corruption in the AFP.

Sanchez said:”Gloria Arroyo and her husband Mike Arroyo jointly command the biggest corruption syndicate in the country is no longer news to the people; it only further inflames the people’s rage and steels their resolve to oust the fake and hated president in conjunction with the armed revolutionary struggle. No amount of AFP black propaganda against the people’s army and its leaders could deter its steady advance.”

The NPA, armed wing of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines, has been fighting the past four decades for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

Philippine Military Shows Desperation In Latest Propaganda, Says NPA Rebels

Campaign against Ka Parago, a showcase of AFP Desperation.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has just made official its policy of adding another dimension to its counterrevolutionary war under the mantle of the Arroyo regime’s Enhanced National Internal Security Plan notoriously known as Oplan Bantay Laya II or OBL II. Shortly after Gen. Victor Ibrado hinted about “adding new parameters” to its “counter-insurgency” program —- citing the difficulties encountered in achieving its mid-2010 goals -- the AFP’s black propaganda machinery took off with its rehashed vilification campaign against leaders of the revolutionary movement.

The new dimension Gen. Ibrado was talking about, it came to pass, was directly concocted out of the latest showbiz scandal that has since pre-occupied the national mass media. Taking cue from his higher ups, Col. Daniel Lucero of the Philippine Army’s Civil Military Operations Group presented his own “sex scandal and corruption expose,” against Leoncio “Ka Parago” Pitao, Red commander of the NPA’s 1st Pulang Bagani Company in Southern Mindanao.

It is quite clear that the AFP has had utilized all imaginable combat, intelligence and special operations against units and leaders of the NPA. They have killed many leaders and members of militant and progressive organizations and continue to place an even larger number in the AFP Order of Battle. Thus, Col. Lucero’s cheap propaganda gimmick comes as no surprise as he merely rides on a crest of widespread public attention generated by the latest scandal to rock the Philippine entertainment scene.

For all intents and purposes, Col. Lucero’s “expose” is nothing but a lowest level type of an ill-conceived character assassination scheme. AFP psychological operation run alongside its murderous campaign of OBL-mandated extrajudicial killing that has victimized hundreds of activists, unarmed civilians and non-combatants that included Ka Parago’s daughter Rebelyn.

This latest smear campaign only succeeds in showcasing heights of desperation that has shaken the AFP as a result of the monumental failure of Oplan Bantay Laya 1 and 2.

Col. Lucero of the AFP top brass would be well-advised if they look into the endemic corruption that is a plague in the AFP organization. The Filipino people are convinced that a cabal of AFP generals is lording it over the AFP, siphoning public funds to their pockets as has been credibly revealed during the Oakwood Mutiny and the recent Western Mindanao Command corruption as disclosed by Navy Lt. SG Nancy Gadian, among others.

That Gloria Arroyo and her husband Mike Arroyo jointly command the biggest corruption syndicate in the country is no longer news to the people; it only further inflames the people’s rage and steels their resolve to oust the fake and hated president in conjunction with the armed revolutionary struggle. No amount of AFP black propaganda against the people’s army and its leaders could deter its steady advance.


Rigoberto F. Sanchez
Merardo Arce Command
Southern Mindanao Regional Operations Command
New People’s Army

Video From Al Jazeera Television



The New People's Army has been fighting for a communist state in Philippines since 1968 in a campaign that has cost more than 40,000 lives. In the first of two special reports from the island of Luzon, Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas finds out why the fighting has been going on for so long.

Philippine Army bares report on Mindanao NPA leader

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 24, 2009) – The Philippine Army on Wednesday bared a report detailing an alleged sex scandal and money laundering involving a senior leader of the communist rebel group New People’s Army.

Colonel Daniel Lucero, commander of the Civil-Military Operations Group, said Leoncio Pitao, head of the NPA’s Pulang Bagani Command, had abused several women rebels.

He said the report on Pitao, whose nom de guerre is Kumander Parago, came from former rebels who had surrendered to the government in recent years. “The accounts here were revealed by Parago’s former followers who are now working with the government to restore the wellbeing of our nation which is being wrecked by a noxious social belief,” Lucero said.

Lucero said Pitao was previously meted disciplinary action by the Communist Party of the Philippines for having an illegal and illicit affair with a female member of his unit, Lalay, who was then the finance and logistic officer of the rebel’s Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC).

“A sexual relationship of Parago with a female member of his unit was discovered when one time Parago was inside a jungle hammock with CTL Lalay, the then finance and logistics officer of the main regional guerilla unit of the SMRC. Unfortunately, the rope of the hammock accidentally broke and they both rolled down toward the slope naked. As a consequence, Parago was placed on disciplinary action while Lalay was transferred to Front Committee 53 where she died during an encounter against government forces near the North Cotabato-Davao City boundary in 2003,” Lucero said.

Lucero said Pitao’s illicit relationship with other female rebels continued secretly. “He had an illicit liaison with CTL Inday, wife of CTL Federico Moreno, alias Luther. This relationship bore CTL Inday a child which led to the marital separation of Inday and Luther,” he said.

He said in 2005, Pitao was investigated by an NPA leader Ariel Badiang, the second deputy secretary of the SMRC, of yet another case of exploitation of women.

“Parago was reported to have organized an NPA platoon composed of all women whom he personally led. The husbands of these women later filed complaints against Parago for sleeping with their wives. As a result, Parago was instructed by the SMRC to return these female NPA members to their original organization,” Lucero said.

He said Pitao then had another illegal affair with a rebel named Cording, the wife of another NPA commander, Egor. Pitao allegedly transferred Egor to Bukidnon province to hide his illicit affair with the woman.

“Parago still maintains his relationship with Helen, his bona fide wife, but sometime first week of this month - June 2009, Parago was shot and wounded by another CTL Luther after learning that Parago also had an affair with his wife. Parago suffered gun shot wounds on his back and buttocks. This was the second time he was shot by his subordinate. At present, Parago is still recovering from his injuries,” Lucero said.

It was unknown what happened to Luther. Lucero did not say whether Pitao was charged separately for having an affair with Luther’s wife.

But Lucero said Pitao was also found guilty by an NPA revolutionary court for allegedly pocketing funds, mostly derived from extortion activities in southern Mindanao.

“Aside from all those sexual molestation charges, Parago was also found guilty by the Communist Party of the Philippines of pocketing NPA funds. Despite of the disciplinary actions imposed on him, he still retained his command – the Pulang Bagani. And as revealed by his former followers, Leoncio Pitao pockets an average of five million pesos at least every quarter of the year and these came from extortion activities - from different business establishments in Davao area - which he embezzles for his personal use. His family is reportedly living in affluence.”

“In a similar fashion, CTL Ryan Pitao, a son of Parago, was also revealed to have sexually molested a number of female members of the Pulang Bagani Command, which Parago is said to be tolerating,” Lucero further said.

There was no immediate statement from Pitao, one of the most elusive leaders of the NPA and the object of long years of military operations in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)

Troops occupy NPA camp in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 2, 2009) – Government forces have occupied a mountain encampment of the communist New People’s Army rebels after a firefight Tuesday in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said civilians provided intelligence that led to the capture of the rebel camp in the village of Napnapan in Compostela Valley’s Pantukan town.

Army rangers swooped down on the base and engaged the rebels in a running gun battle, said Captain Rose Maria Cristina Manuel, a spokeswoman for the Army’s 10th Infantry Division.

She said a still undetermined number of rebels were either killed or wounded in the fighting and none of the military side.

“We have recovered one M14 and three more M16 rifles in the camp,” she told the Mindanao Examiner. “The combat operation was in response to the presence of NPA rebels in the area who were extorting money from poor and hapless villagers, including business industries. The operation is still going on.”

The capture of the camp came three days after the NPA raided a mining firm in the village of Masara on Maco town. The rebels seized five automatic rifles from policemen guarding the Apex Mining Corporation.

Prior to the raid, rebels also ambushed a police patrol and killed seven people, said Rigoberto Sanchez, an NPA spokesman.

Last week, NPA fighters also executed a government soldier - Staff Sergeant Rolen Maglangit, of the 36th Infantry Battalion - they captured in Compostela Valley. They also killed a former army soldier, Dante Villa, in Davao del Sur province.

Officials also accused the NPA of killing innocent civilians on mere suspicion of aiding the military in its anti-insurgency campaign. The NPA has recently executed a sister of a top rebel commander after she was discovered working as a spy for the military in Mindanao. It said Evelyn Pitao was killed after she was found guilty by its own court.

The woman was the sister of NPA leader Leoncio Pitao. She and her husband, Roberto Dadula, were killed last week inside their house in Santo Tomas town in Davao del Norte province.

Sanchez said Pitao’s sister was behind the Killing of her brother Danilo Pitao in Tagum City on June 2008 and the arrest of her own husband, Ka Emong, an NPA rebel, in Panabo City on January this year. She was also implicated in the arrest of Leoncio Pitao, alias Kumander Parago, on November 1999.

Pitao was eventually released from jail and returned to fight the government.

Colonel Daniel Lucero, commander of the Army’s Civil-Military Group, said the recent admission of the NPA in the killing of Pitao’s sister is reminiscent of the “Operasyon Kampanyang Ahos” undertaken by the rebels in Mindanao to cleanse its ranks of alleged military infiltrators.

”Evelyn used to be a party member of Guerilla Front 3 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee. Paranoia over suspected infiltrators and military spies in their ranks led to the purging operation in the 1980’s early part of 1990's. Until now, those CPP-NPA-NDF perpetrators of these killings remain unpunished. The families, friends and relatives of the victims of these purging operations up to the moment are still seeking for justice,” he said.

“With this admission of the CPP-NPA-NDF on the killing of Evelyn Pitao, we are calling the attention of the KARAPATAN to denounce such unjust and ruthless act of the CPP-NPA-NDF. Indeed, it is indisputable that Evelyn Pitao’s case is in the realm of KARAPATAN’s advocacy. Evelyn Pitao, though a member of the CPP-NPA-NDF, had basic right to life, humane treatment, and due process.”

Lucero was referring to the human rights group KARAPATAN which has accused the military of violating the rights of civilians in Mindanao.

The NPA is the armed wing of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging a secessionist war in the country. Peace talks between Manila and the CPP-NPA collapsed in 2004 after both sides failed to sign an agreement to end more than four decades of bloody fighting. (Mindanao Examiner)

40th Founding Anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)

40th Founding Anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP): Celebrating Forty Years of Continuous Denial of A Better Way of Life for Every Filipino by Col. Daniel A. Lucero

As the Communist Party of the Philippines celebrates its 40th founding anniversary, it highlights as it always does, its propaganda that it is fighting to achieve an equitable society through a democratic political system for the Filipino Nation.

Just like any insurgent group, the CPP, with its armed component, the New People’s Army (NPA) and its mass base organizer, the National Democratic Front (NDF), continues to promise anything to advance its political cause without any obligation and responsibility to prove it. It still uses the usual deceptive measures such as lying, cheating and exaggerating hoping that these can undermine the government’s credibility and press forward its political and social ambitions.

A case in point of this observation is the recent condemnation against the Philippine Army’s 48th Infantry Battalion based in Aurora Province which is another clear media trick initiated by the NDF, and supported by the proposal of the Multi-Sectoral Action Group of Aurora submitted to the Commission of Human Rights for the closure of the battalion’s camps in Aurora.

It speaks well of the NDF’s influence over an unsuspecting non-government organization. The Philippine Army has been positively receptive of any criticism from the public hoping that this can improve the delivery of its sworn security contract with the Filipino Nation. However, any request for a pullout of an army’s encampment is seen rather as a move of a local terrorist group to get rid of a hindrance to the achievement of its political aims.

Today, Aurora Province is the only remaining CPP/NPA/NDF’s sanctuary in Central Luzon, after nine guerrilla fronts have been dismantled in this year alone. As an added setback, in September of this year, four NPA members namely; Carlos Hurial, Ton-Ton Mijares, Orlando Aimboyutan and Jessie Garcia decided to turn their backs against the terrorist group in Aurora and surrendered five firearms to the government forces. Carlos Mijares even killed four of his comrades when they tried to stop him from joining the cause of the government and even took two M-16 rifles when he fled.

The story mentioned above is just one of the many stories of failure of the CPP/NPA/NDF. The group has continuously denied every Filipino of achieving a better life. It has continuously ignored the fact that there are still citizens and groups in our nation which only support them because of fear and reprisal. The CPP/NPA/NDF then has nothing to celebrate. (The author is the Commander of the Civil-Military Operations Group, Philippine Army in Fort Andres Bonifacio, Makati City)

Commies Blame Arroyo, U.S. For Renewed Hostilities In Southern Philippines

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Army Reminds Troops Anew To Respect Human Rights

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / August 28, 2008) – The Philippine Army leadership reminded again all field commanders, specifically those who are deployed to pursue military actions against lawless Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members about their responsibility to see to it that all soldiers will strictly observe and respect human rights.

This move was prompted by the alarm raised by Human Rights head Leila de Lima that a growing number of civilian casualties were monitored as a result of military offensive against lawless MILF elements.

Col. Daniel Lucero, chief of the Army’s Civil-Military Operation, said army commanders were further reminded to inculcate in the minds of their soldiers to be impartial and unprejudiced in their observance of human rights - that every individual’s rights, regardless of his or her professed religion, ethnic attachment, gender, political beliefs, among other should be guaranteed and respected.

“Likewise, all army soldiers were reminded that the reason for existence of the Philippine Army was primarily to guarantee that every Filipino’s rights to life, speech and property are protected.”

“As such, soldiers were further reminded that they should see to it that no act should be pursued if this will mean an infringement of the rights of any individual which they as soldiers have sworn to protect,” he told reporters.

Lucero said they are aware that militant groups would use the issue of human rights to malign and damage the reputation of the Philippine Army.

“However, soldiers are reminded that they should take these negative criticisms as a challenge to do better. Soldiers were told that their deeds in pursuit of their observance of human rights will be greater than the words we use to refute these false allegations,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)

Army Assures Respect For Human Rights, Rule Of Law In Pursuit Of MILF Raiders In Mindanao

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Ina Ng Nawawalang Aktibista, Di Nagpakita Sa Pulong!

QUEZON CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 06 Jun) - Hindi nagpakita kanina ang ina ng nawawalang anak ng dating publisher at aktibistang si Jonas Burgos sa itinakdang pakikipagpulong nito kay Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Hermogenes Esperon, Jr.

Umano'y naramdaman ni Mrs. Edith Burgos na gagamitin lamang siya nina Esperon at Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita upang magkaroon ng publisidad na may pakikipagtulungan ang militar sa paghahanap sa batang Burgos.

Ang militar ang pangunahing pinagdududahan na dumukot kay Burgos at natunton rin sa isang kampo ng Philippine Army sa Norzagaray, Bulacan ang sasakyan na may nawawalang plaka at ginamit sa getaway vehicle sa biktima.

Si Jonas ay nagsisilbing consultant para sa Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

Subalit, sinabi ni Armed Forces Public Information Office Chief Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro na dumating sa pulong ang tiyuhin at abogado ni Jonas ngunit nabigong makausap si Esperon dahil dumating ang mga ito ng dakong alas-10 ng umaga o isang oras nang nahuli sa usapan.

Si Colonel Daniel Lucero, ang executive assistant ni Esperon at ang hepe ng AFP Human Rights Office na si Colonel Benedicto Jose ang kumausap sa tiyuhin at abogado ng batang Burgos. (Juley Reyes)