The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process condemns in the strongest terms the burning of four houses and a chapel perpetrated by members of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) last May 28 in Opol, Misamis Oriental.
There is no doubt that this incident is another dastardly act committed by the communist rebels whose only objective is to instill fear, anger and violence among village folk, the same people they profess to serve but in reality, they continue to use and abuse.
With the health crisis our nation is currently facing, who, in their right minds, would carry out such an devious, cowardly act? That instead of helping our marginalized brothers and sisters overcome this ordeal, their homes and place of worship are turned to ashes.
The Reds can no longer deny the reality that the cause they have been fighting for decades, has become a mere anachronism. They cry for social justice, but they themselves, are the main violators of human rights. This skewed perspective must come to an end.
The Filipino people have spoken and their message is loud and clear: Their communities have no place for an organization whose only interest is self-preservation. The real intent of these communist insurgents has been unmasked and they have nowhere to go.
The Duterte Administration would like to assure the people of Opol that it will exhaust all means possible in order to bring the perpetrators to justice. The long arm of the law will soon be upon them and justice will be served accordingly.
