WHO IS THE REAL EVIL?

Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City – The 8TH Infantry Division, as always, is the target of criticism and complete detestation by the defrocked priest turned NDF-EV Spokesperson, Mr Santiago Salas. However, this time, the loud mouthed former priest, included in his never ending complaints the SIPPAD, a multi-sectoral assembly for peace and development backed by the three bishops of Samar Island. In his statement, last 29 June 2011, Mr Salas accused 8TH ID to have been using the SIPPAD to rubber-stamp “Oplan Bayanihan” claiming the new AFP counter-insurgency approach is no different from the Bantay Laya concept. Mr Salas also added that the SIPPAD is committing a very dangerous mistake in rubber-stamping the 8th ID’s road project proposal in Samar Island.

“What a pity this misguided rebel priest has become. He is really determined to do everything to prevent peace and prosperity in Samar Island. He will continue and will relentlessly push the issue just to prevent development for he knows for a fact that it is only development that will end the 40-year long existence of CPP-NPA-NDF, an organization of deceit and violence headed by people whose main interest is for personal advancement. When will Mr Salas stop this kind of baseless accusations and cease from preventing progress? Why can they come down, join the mainstream society and participate in our projects in quest for peace and prosperity? Isn’t it better to join our efforts to alleviate the lives of those less fortunate instead of criticizing those people and organization, government and non government who are doing the right thing for our own people? I really pity Mr Salas. He is a victim and a slave of an erroneous belief and selfish leaders. Since Fr Salas constantly criticizes the road projects, I’d like to ask him what he and the organization he protects has done to give our people a better life. I know the answer already but I want to hear from his big mouth. It’s a big “NONE”. If Fr Salas will succeed in preventing the road project, which I strongly believed will not, what alternatives does he have? If he is really for the people, why can’t he tell the people publicly his own plan to ease the Samarnons from the difficulty of having no roads particularly in the tri-boundary of Samar Island” says Major General Mario Chan, Commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division.

It is nothing but common to CPP-NPA-NDF to criticize the military having been the government spearhead in defeating its armed component, the NPA. However, it is very rare and it is new that this group directed its criticism against the Bishops and accused them of aiding the AFP in its Oplan Bayanihan which they said as no different from Oplan Bantay Laya in pursuing the purely military solution to armed conflict as well as eschewing human rights and international humanitarian law. This baseless statement is equivalent to accusing the Bishops of aiding the AFP to commit violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. This is a display of disrespect at its best and must be condemned by the church.

More surprisingly, Salas chastised and accused the Catholic Church in Samar of waltzing with the military through SIPPAD. Salas even questioned the Catholic Church by saying that the Bishops are turning their backs away from the majority of its flock who are mostly peasants. These statements of Salas were seriously contested by Major General Chan.

“It is a deceitful challenge and a complete disregard to the Catholic Church. The Bishops and the Catholic Church are always for the people regardless of religious sect and denominations. I strongly believe in that thought for it is the reality and it is unquestionable. All they want is for the goodness of every son of God living in an environment of peace and prosperity, a vision of SIPPAD that the 8th Infantry Division mutually shares with. How about the rebel priest Fr Salas? He has not presented any vision or project for Region 8. I am sure it is because he does not have any and he only thinks of himself and what he can get from the people. Who is he to question the noble intention and credibility of the three Bishops? He really deserved to be dismissed from priesthood. I am posting this as a challenge to Fr Salas.”

Demonstrating again the ignorance of the NDF-EV Spokesperson, Fr Salas has been repeatedly bringing out the issue that the Oplan Bayanihan is based on the US Counter-insurgency Guide. Isn’t he really aware that “Bayanihan” is a virtue integral to every Filipino? Bayanihan is the natural character of a true Filipino who is always ready to join hands to accomplish matters that cannot be done without the help of each other. What a shame to Salas. He forgot the ways of a real and genuine Filipino. He might as well join his fellow big mouth coward Jose Maria Sison in Netherlands.

Fr Salas also chided that while the Commander of 8th ID is talking of peace and developments, the soldiers are conducting offensive operations in Samar and Leyte. Gen Chan affirmed and said that it is true but not accurate.

“Yes it is partially true and I’m happy for him that at least few factual words come out from his mouth. But to understand it better, few factual words of Salas must be separated from the fictitious and deceitful ones. It is true that the soldiers are there in the mountains of Samar and Leyte even now as I’m giving these statements. They are there for security operations to prepare those areas for the entry of development and deny the group of Fr Salas, the NPAs, from preventing the construction projects. The soldiers are there to ensure that the projects, once they kick off, will not be hampered and be subjected to extortions by the group of Fr Salas. Everybody knows that and everybody will agree if I will say that is the way of life of the bandits like the NPAs, the group of Fr Salas.”

The rebel priest NDF-EV spokesperson further said that Major General Chan crowed to the media about receiving new weapons, electronic equipment and military vehicles from the US. Likewise, Salas’ statement was affirmed by Major General Chan. However, he (Major General Chan) laughed and slammed Salas’ informant for giving him (Salas) inaccurate information.

“Yes it is also correct that we acquired and we will continue to acquire many of these equipment as part of the AFP modernization program. However, Fr Salas was given wrong information when he said that the new equipment came from the US. The equipment were actually purchased from Korea and not from US. Anybody can confirm it. Check the brand of the new vehicles, its KIA vehicles. Fr Salas, your intelligence networks is not giving you the right information leading you to give false statements” says Major General Chan with a big smile on his face.

Fr Salas also recycled the issue that the US is at the back of the road projects. General Chan once again categorically declared the allegations of NDF-EV to be baseless and immaterial. He repeated his statement on June 2 of this year.

“8ID and the different agencies continuously supporting the road projects are not connected with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Even the funds that will be used are not coming from any foreign organizations. It just happened that MCC has a similar project in the province which was already pronounced early last year and which I think will also help our province to move forward. I feel pity for Mr Salas; he is desperately doing anything just to prevent development and the imminent defeat of the NPA bandits he protects.”

In his final statement, Fr Salas urged the people of Samar to strengthen their militant and revolutionary struggles against 8ID. He said that the people must strengthen the struggle for human rights and other socio economic reforms and support and join the revolutionary struggle for social justice, national freedom and democracy.

Salas, as he always be, is confusing the people through this statement. It may be nice to hear for some with low level of understanding and adventurous attitude. But it serves its purpose. It is really the objective of Salas’ final statement to deceive people. He is promoting protection of human rights but he is urging the people to strengthen their militant and revolutionary struggles against the legitimate Armed Forces of the country. We all know that nobody can prevent bloodshed and loss of lives in a militant and revolutionary struggle. We also know that the right to life is the highest form of human rights. Isn’t he, himself, Fr Salas, violating the people’s right to life when he urged them to strengthen the militant and revolutionary struggles? Now, it is left to the people to conclude who is the real evil? Is it the 8ID together with SIPPAD backed by the three Bishops or the dismissed priest turned rebel and Spokesperson of NDF-EV, former Fr Santiago Salas?