NEWS RELEASE March 5, 2000
THE Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today expressed fears that the series of bombings in Mindanao and Metro Manila is part of an orchestrated move not against the Philippine government but against perceived “enemies” of the Estrada administration.
“Through such bombings, the psy-war tacticians in the AFP may be conditioning public opinion about the necessity for more military operations against the MILF and NPA, more repressive policies and laws especially against public protests, and even the imposition of martial law,” said Bayan Secretary General Teodoro A. Casiño.
He said that such insidious tactics may prove counterproductive for the Estrada administration which is now reeling from a crisis in leadership. “Unfortunately, Mr. Estrada seems to be satisfied with how his military advisers are handling the situation. He has agreed to all their gestapo methods, from the PNP’s spraypainting campaign, the AFP’s deployment of Marines in Metro Manila, the violent dispersal of protests and strikes and intensified military operations in Mindanao,” Casiño said.
He added that the government’s latest move is the recruitment of an additional 35,000 men for para-military groups and vigilantes. “Next to the AFP and PNP, these para-military groups have the worst human rights record in the country,” said Casiño.
“The recent bombings are possibly government or military-orchestrated since the MILF and NPA have absolutely nothing to gain but everything to lose by such terrorist acts. It is simply illogical for the MILF and NPA, who want to gain popular support for their cause, to engage in such traitorous bombing operations,” said Casiño.
“For its part, the RPA-ABB, which has claimed responsibility for the attacks on the Dept. of Energy building and at Negros Oriental, has long been identified with the AFP and Gen. Panfilo Lacson. Isn’t it strange that the RPA-ABB openly admits to these acts of terrorism and even warns of more bombings while its leaders like Nilo de la Cruz and Arturo Tabara strut openly about town without so much as a slap on the wrist from Lacson?” asked Casiño.
“What we see here is a similar scenario to the fake Enrile ambush which was staged right before the declaration of martial law. Obviously, Pres. Estrada and his military tacticians are planning the same dirty tricks to justify intensified repression against perceived enemies and dissenters who, at this point, constitute a majority of the population,”said Casiño. #