NDF to NPA units: ‘Don’t harm non-combatants’

MANILA, Philippines – The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) deplored the April 21 attack by the New People’s Army (NPA) against Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona and her convoy. It reminded NPA commands  and units to protect civilians.

“Every NPA command and unit must strictly follow the NPA’s policies, rules and procedures for ensuring that non-combatants and other non-hostile persons are not harmed by military action,” Luis Jalandon said in a statement on Wednesday, April 24. He is the chairperson of the NDFP negotiating panel. 

The wife of former Vice-President Teofisto Guingona and mother of Senator Teofisto Guingona suffered shrapnel wounds and broken bones. Two of her escorts were killed.

“We express sympathy for Mayor Guingona and her entire family, wish her the quickest possible recovery from her wounds and shock, and condolences to the families of the two killed escorts who should have shared with her the assurances of safety accorded to the Guingona family by the revolutionary movement of the people,” said Jalandoni. 

“The NPA is always duty-bound to adhere to its own Basic Rules of Discipline, to the provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), and other instruments and norms of international humanitarian law, especially on the protection of civilians and hors de combat,” Jalandoni added.

The NPA apologized for hurting Guingona but justified the attack as “self-defense.” The mayor’s escorts supposedly fired upon the NPA checkpoint.

“The lead vehicle of Mayor Guingona’s convoy rammed against the bamboo roadblock mounted by the red fighters while her escorts opened fire at the NPAs flagging down the convoy. The red fighters immediately returned fire in self defense,” said Allan Juanito, spokesman of the NPA-North Central Mindanao Regional Command.

Jalandoni lamented that it happened to the Guingona family, which the NDFP and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) hold “in the highest regard because of its steadfast stand for national independence and democracy during the struggle against the US-supported Marcos fascist dictatorship and thereafter against the anti-national and anti-democratic policies and acts of the successors of Marcos.”

Jalandoni said Chief Political Consultant Prof Jose Maria Sison is “ever grateful” to the former Vice President “for defending him against the false charge of terrorism during the rule of Gloria Arroyo.”

Key members of the rebel peace panel also know the Guingona couple personally. “We thank him for speaking as a statesman, rising above the pain of his wife and family, expressing his continuing respect for the NDFP and calling for the GPH-NDFP peace negotiations to move forward,” Jalandoni said.

In a press conference on Monday, the former vice-president said it won’t be easy to forgive those who attacked his wife. “We are not ready to forgive,” Guingona told a press conference in Cagayan de Oro City.

President Aquino also vowed to hunt down those who are responsible. (READ: Aquino to NPA rebels: ‘We’ll get you’)

“We hope that the GPH-NDFP peace negotiations will advance in addressing the roots of the armed conflict, in making agreements on social, economic and political reforms and in laying the basis for a just lasting peace,” Jalandoni added. – Rappler.com