A day after the late Mapandan Vice Mayor Adolfo Aquino was laid to rest in his hometown, I was given a photocopy of a press statement, which supposedly came from the New People’s Army Lucio de Guzman Command based in Mindoro island and signed by one Victor Rivero, as spokesperson.
The letter, which owned the killing of the former vice mayor, was written in Filipino and was computer-printed in a letterhead. Vice Mayor Aquino’s supposed crimes, ranging from treasure hunting to his involvement in the textbook scam, were also enumerated there.
A quick check with the CPP/NPA’s official website (http://www.philippinerevolution.org/) would reveal that Victor Rivero is indeed the spokesperson of Bagong Hukbong Bayan Lucio de Guzman Command, Rehiyonal na Komite-Timog Katagalugan.
(How did I know that the website is an authentic CPP/NPA website? Well, just read the statements posted there and you’ll know these are unmistakably the Left’s.)
There are questions, however, that remained unanswered: Is the letter authentic? Why did it have to take five days after the killing before the NPA issues a statement?
From the website, the last statement issued by the Lucio de Guzman command was dated January 2004 yet. And it is very unlikely for them not to post the July 11, 2005 statement in their website, especially if they are announcing an accomplishment that the people should immediately know.
Also, from my experience as reporter, the Left normally immediately admits a killing just a few hours after it is done, especially on prominent personalities. And from their many statements I’ve read in the past, those meted out “revolutionary justice” usually have blood debts, or people who are extremely oppressive.
Then just last Thursday, DZRH-Dagupan interviewed CPP Founding Chairman Jose Ma. Sison from Utrecht, Netherlands, where he categorically stated that NPA’s from Mindoro could not have come to Mapandan town to assassinate Vice Mayor Aquino.
He told anchor Allan Sison during the 20-minute interview that the NPA follows an operational procedure that would make it impossible for NPA operatives in Mindoro to come here. The execution would have to be carried out by those in Pangasinan, the exiled professor said.
Lest I be misconstrued, may I make it clear that I am not defending the NPA here. It’s far from it. And if in the end it will be proven that it was really them who did the shooting, then the full force of the law should be applied on them.
My only point here is that the police should not swallow the statement hook, line and sinker, so to speak. Whoever thought of circulating the “NPA statement” may have done a big favor to those who really did the cowardly act. The Task Force Aquino, which still faces a blank wall, may only be misled and waste a lot of time and resources if it decides to pursue the “new angle” without validating it.
ENDNOTES: The 4th Trade and Cultural Mission of Pangasinan to Washington State on July 13 to 17 was a success. This was the report of Ms. Armi Bangsal-Lorica, who headed the delegation composed of members of the Pangasinan-Washington Sister State Association (Pawassa). The delegation was hosted by the Washington-Pangasinan Sister State Association headed by Ms. Alma Quintans-Kern, a full-blooded Pangasinense. Dagupan City Mayor Benjie Lim joined the delegation in Seattle last July 14. Let’s wait for Ate Armi’s full report when she comes back to Pangasinan next month.
QUICK QUOTE: Live all you can; it's a mistake not to. It doesn't so much matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life. If you haven't had that what have you? – Henry James
The letter, which owned the killing of the former vice mayor, was written in Filipino and was computer-printed in a letterhead. Vice Mayor Aquino’s supposed crimes, ranging from treasure hunting to his involvement in the textbook scam, were also enumerated there.
A quick check with the CPP/NPA’s official website (http://www.philippinerevolution.org/) would reveal that Victor Rivero is indeed the spokesperson of Bagong Hukbong Bayan Lucio de Guzman Command, Rehiyonal na Komite-Timog Katagalugan.
(How did I know that the website is an authentic CPP/NPA website? Well, just read the statements posted there and you’ll know these are unmistakably the Left’s.)
There are questions, however, that remained unanswered: Is the letter authentic? Why did it have to take five days after the killing before the NPA issues a statement?
From the website, the last statement issued by the Lucio de Guzman command was dated January 2004 yet. And it is very unlikely for them not to post the July 11, 2005 statement in their website, especially if they are announcing an accomplishment that the people should immediately know.
Also, from my experience as reporter, the Left normally immediately admits a killing just a few hours after it is done, especially on prominent personalities. And from their many statements I’ve read in the past, those meted out “revolutionary justice” usually have blood debts, or people who are extremely oppressive.
Then just last Thursday, DZRH-Dagupan interviewed CPP Founding Chairman Jose Ma. Sison from Utrecht, Netherlands, where he categorically stated that NPA’s from Mindoro could not have come to Mapandan town to assassinate Vice Mayor Aquino.
He told anchor Allan Sison during the 20-minute interview that the NPA follows an operational procedure that would make it impossible for NPA operatives in Mindoro to come here. The execution would have to be carried out by those in Pangasinan, the exiled professor said.
Lest I be misconstrued, may I make it clear that I am not defending the NPA here. It’s far from it. And if in the end it will be proven that it was really them who did the shooting, then the full force of the law should be applied on them.
My only point here is that the police should not swallow the statement hook, line and sinker, so to speak. Whoever thought of circulating the “NPA statement” may have done a big favor to those who really did the cowardly act. The Task Force Aquino, which still faces a blank wall, may only be misled and waste a lot of time and resources if it decides to pursue the “new angle” without validating it.
ENDNOTES: The 4th Trade and Cultural Mission of Pangasinan to Washington State on July 13 to 17 was a success. This was the report of Ms. Armi Bangsal-Lorica, who headed the delegation composed of members of the Pangasinan-Washington Sister State Association (Pawassa). The delegation was hosted by the Washington-Pangasinan Sister State Association headed by Ms. Alma Quintans-Kern, a full-blooded Pangasinense. Dagupan City Mayor Benjie Lim joined the delegation in Seattle last July 14. Let’s wait for Ate Armi’s full report when she comes back to Pangasinan next month.
QUICK QUOTE: Live all you can; it's a mistake not to. It doesn't so much matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life. If you haven't had that what have you? – Henry James
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