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New People's Army

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New People's Army
LeaderJosé María Sison
Dates of operationMarch 29, 1969
MotivesProletarian revolution
Active regionsPhilippines
IdeologyMaoism
Notable attacksUS Army Colonel James N. Rowe assassination
StatusDesignated as Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department[1]
Designated as terrorist group by EU Common Foreign and Security Policy[2]
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The New People's Army (NPA) (Filipino: Bagong Hukbong Bayan) is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. It was formed on March 29, 1969. The Maoist NPA conducts its armed guerrilla struggle based on the strategical line of 'protracted people's war'.

The NPA exacts so called "revolutionary taxes" from business owners. If not paid, negative repercussions could happen to the person and/or business, the Philippine military alleges[3]. The NPA insists that such repercussions are justified on corporate abuses and environmentally-destructive practices[4]. The Communist Party of the Philippines claims that since the beginning of the revolutionary movement, the NPA has been the tax enforcement agency of the people’s revolutionary government. The tax collected by the NPA and other tax collection agents is for the purpose of financing mainly the economic and social programs of the revolutionary movement (including production, land reform, health care, education and cultural activities) and secondarily for administration and defense.[5]

They are designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department[1] and as a terrorist group by the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy[2]

Second Great Rectification Movement

In the 1990s internal criticism about mistakes in the 1980s led to the Second Great Rectification Movement, launched in 1992 and largely completed in 1998, leading to a resurgence in the Philippine insurgency. The Second Rectification ended internal purges of the movement that killed hundreds of members on allegations of being deep penetration agents of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine intelligence community. Former CPP-NPA cadre Lualhati Milan Abreu's award-winning memoir "Agaw-Dilim Agaw Liwanag"[6] chronicled the executions.

The Rectification Movement, despite its successes and apologies to the people regarding their actions, also resulted in a series of splits within the Party and even the People's Army. The Alex Boncayao Brigade, notorious for targeting policemen and officials that were allegedly corrupt, bolted out of the party while some ended up forming groups such as the Revolutionary Proletarian Army and the Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Bayan.

The NPA claims responsibility for the assassination of U.S. Army Colonel James "Nick" Rowe, founder of the U.S. Army Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) course, in 1989. Colonel Rowe was part of a military assistance program to the Philippine Army. The NPA insist that this made him a legitimate military target.[7][8]

Post 9/11

This group was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States in August 2002 and by the European Union in November 2005.[2][9] The NPA's founder, Jose Maria Sison, lives in the Netherlands in exile. The NPA operates mostly in the rural areas and their targets often include military, police, government informers, alleged criminals.[10]

In 1995 the CPP issued a communique approving of same-sex relationships and in 2005 the first gay marriage of two NPA cadre was performed.[11]

The Arroyo administration has been negotiating intermittently with delegates of NPA in European countries.[citation needed]

The arrest of a Naxalite guerrilla by Indian security forces suggested links with the NPA, who were said to have traveled to India to teach them how to conduct guerrilla warfare against the army and police.[12]

In March, 2008, AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr., claimed that the New People's Army (NPA) rebels had only around 5,700 members, and that the size of the NPA was decreasing. Esperon said further that the AFP hoped to reduce NPA armed strength by 1,500 in 2008.[13] NPAs fought in 69 of 81 Philippine provinces since 1969. Forty thousand people have died in the conflict.[14]

Amnesty Proclamation

On September 5, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Amnesty Proclamation 1377 for members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed terrorist wing, the New People's Army; other communist rebel groups; and their umbrella organization, the National Democratic Front (Philippines). The amnesty will cover the crime of rebellion and all other crimes "in pursuit of political beliefs," but not including crimes against chastity, rape, torture, kidnapping for ransom, use and trafficking of illegal drugs and other crimes for personal ends and violations of international law or convention and protocols "even if alleged to have been committed in pursuit of political beliefs." The National Committee on Social Integration (NCSI) will issue a Certificate of Amnesty to qualified applicants. Implementing rules and regulations are being drafted and the decree will be submitted to the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives of the Philippines for their concurrence. The proclamation becomes effective only after Congress has concurred.[15]

Lucena prison raid

NPA rebels disguised as Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency personnel had raided a prison in Lucena, Quezon Province,[16][17] overpowering the guards and freeing rebel prisoners they deemed to be "political prisoners."[18] Two of the seven people deemed political prisoners did not escape with the NPA raiders, opting to be cleared of any wrongdoing by lawful, legal means.[19] Other NPA rebels held in other prisons were to be moved into secured facilities.[20]

Morong 43

There were 43 people arrested at community health meeting in Morong, Rizal on February 6, 2010. They were accused of being part of the NPA. On December 10, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III ordered the release of 38 of the 43 because the Morong 43 case had due process violations. The last 5 admitted being part of the NPA and are being prosecuted for various criminal offenses including murder, extortion, and other offenses.[21]

Attack on 3 Surigao Mines

The NPA conducted attacks on October 3, 2011 against three large-scale mining corporations in Surigao del Norte. The spectacular attacks spanned only three hours but resulted in grave damages, including the burning of ten dump trucks, eight backhoes, two barges and a guest house. The mining firms attacked include the Taganito Mining Corporation at Taganito village in Claver town, the $K Mining at Cadiano village, also in Claver, and the Thpal Mining located near the Taganito Mining Corp. compound. The Armed forces of the Philippines (AFP) claimed that the NPA attacked the mining firms because of their failure to pay "revolutionary taxes."[22] The NPA justified the attacks as part of “the policy of the revolutionary movement related to the protection of the environment and natural resources and the defense of the rights of the Lumad people, peasants, and workers.”[23]

Notable NPA leaders and figures

Gregorio Rosal 1947-2011. (Ka Roger), Spokesperson for the CPP from 1994 until his death in 2011. Rosal was dubbed as the "voice of the revolution." Rosal played the harmonica and sung while travelling with media. He self dubbed himself the title jokingly suggesting to title a caption.[24]

Rosal died of a heart attack, in summer of 2011 after a series of strokes. He is buried in an undisclosed location.[25]. The NPA was unable to notify his daughters until later in October, being prevented by intensified fighting.[citation needed]

During the late 1980s, after the EDSA Revolution, movies such as Dante, Victor Corpus, Alex Boncayao Brigade, Sparrow, and Balweg, Rebel Priest featured prominent leaders and members of the group.[original research?]

The 2011 ABS-CBN soap opera Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin partly dramatizes a group similar to the NPA and their fight against the Philippine military and government.

References

  1. ^ a b "Foreign Terrorist Organizations List". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on 2008-07-13. Retrieved 2007-08-03. - USSD Foreign Terrorist Organization
  2. ^ a b c "Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1285/2009". EUR-Lex. 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  3. ^ "NPA rebels earn P2-B in 'revolutionary taxes': AFP". habs-cbnnews.com. May 16, 2011. {{cite news}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ "CPP congratulates NPA in Northeast Mindanao for punishing big foreign mining company". October 4, 2011.
  5. ^ "ABOUT THE NEW PEOPLE'S ARMY AND THPAL-SUMITOMO". [1]. December 23, 2011. {{cite news}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ Abreu, Lualhati Milan (2009). Agaw Dilim Agaw Liwanag. Quezon City, Philippines: University of the Philippines Press. p. 271. ISBN 978-971-542-617-6.
  7. ^ http://www.usvetdsp.com/story16.htm
  8. ^ Bio, Rowe, James N. "Nick"
  9. ^ Powell, Colin (2002-08-09). "Designation of a Foreign Terrorist Organization". U.S. State Department. Archived from the original on 2007-03-14. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  10. ^ New People's Army (NPA), Federation of American Scientists.
  11. ^ von Metze, Ross (2005-01-01). "Gay communist rebels marry in Philippines". Gmax.co.za. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  12. ^ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LD22Ae01.html
  13. ^ AFP falls short of target to dismantle 17 NPA fronts (March 20, 2008), ABS-CBN News.
  14. ^ Abs-Cbn Interactive, NPAs down to 5,700[dead link]
  15. ^ Inquirer.net, Arroyo signs amnesty proclamation for communists
  16. ^ PDEA to conduct own probe on Quezon jailbreak. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
  17. ^ Manhunt on for 7 escaped Quezon inmates. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
  18. ^ Rebels storm jail, freeing seven.[dead link] Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
  19. ^ 2 Quezon jail detainees stayed behind. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
  20. ^ High-risk NPA detainees to be transferred to secured facilities - Palace. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
  21. ^ After 10 months in jail, 38 members of 'Morong 43' set free | ABS-CBN News | Latest Philippine Headlines, Breaking News, Video, Analysis, Features
  22. ^ GMA News (October 3, 2011). "NPA rebels attack 3 mining firms in Surigao del Norte". GMA News Online. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  23. ^ Placido, Dharel (October 4, 2011). "Reds justify attacks on Surigao mines". abs-cbnNews.com. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  24. ^ Ka Roger died of heart attack 4 months ago—CPP | Inquirer News
  25. ^ Global BC | Philippine communist rebels say popular guerrilla spokesman has died of heart attack
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