The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) is blowing its own trumpet in claiming that the 266 Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Bongcayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) members who graduated from their Community Defense Unit training in Camp Macario Peralta at Jamindan, Capiz last November 5 are an addition to its forces. The AFP is lying anew by saying that the RPA-ABB recently joined their ranks. Their deception is clear as day, this criminal and mercenary group has long betrayed the people and cooperated with the reactionary government. Fascist-terrorist Rodrigo Duterte has been using them as trophy of the localized peace talks against the revolutionary movement.

The RPA-ABB has become a machinery of the ruling class and the AFP; used as goons, blue guards of landlords and big bourgeois compradors and used as apparatus for killings, harassments, threats, and other criminal and anti-people activities. It openly attacks peasants, workers and others oppressed and exploited in society. Apart from being henchmen of the ruling class, they are like puppies with tight collars dragged around by the AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) utilizing them as auxiliary forces.

The RPA-ABB claims its collaboration with the AFP is for so-called peace and development of the country but this is only a red herring of the bandit group. The training they are so proud of exhibits the declining forces of the police and military to hold back the advancing revolutionary movement. The same goes for the 254 new soldiers to be stationed by the Philippine Army in Central and Western Visayas. The weakening AFP/PNP troops in the wake of the guerrilla warfare launched by the New People’s Army (NPA) is why the RPA-ABB and the newly recruited soldiers are being trained to become bait for the counterrevolutionary campaign.

The P25,000 per KAPATIRAN member, P50,000 livelihood sustainable grant and housing projects are empty promises. These are all for show and are guarantees from corrupt, deceptive and bloodthirsty AFP officials who only care about their personal interests. All rewards will go to the generals’ pockets and they will take the credit.

Ambitious, servile and discontented top officials of the AFP/PNP are taking advantage of the RPA-ABB’s cooptation. The barbaric AFP/PNP generals like Clement, Arevalo, Sinas and Vinoya are competing with each other to become Duterte’s top lapdog. They vie for the most number of arrests, murders and schemes. Their contest furthers the disintegration of their ranks and each will do everything to win the highest rank. There is no peace and development for the oppressed and exploited people under the Duterte regime who is the main instigator of decadence and worsening violation of human rights especially of innocent civilians.

They peddle terms as “kapayapaan (peace),” “kapanatagan (stability),” “whole-of-nation,” “peace and development,” “community support,” and others, however, the AFP/PNP cannot whitewash that the programs and laws of the regime is for war and oppression. There is no program that responds to the people’s demand for genuine land reform and national industrialization. This validates that Duterte and his clique along with the AFP/PNP and its paramilitary forces like the RPA-ABB are the real terrorists.

The AFP can fool the RPA-ABB but never the NPA. The Red fighters will not exchange the people they fully and wholeheartedly serve. The NPA will not surrender its armed strength for the awards and medals of AFP/PNP officials.

While the people suffer the semicolonial and semifeudal system, its NPA and the revolutionary movement will continue the armed struggle, implement agrarian revolution and build organs of political power.

The genuine army of the people will fight for social justice. With the surging and broadening masses, the NPA will confront the challenge of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army of more combat operations. Through protracted people’s war the NPA is ever ready to withstand the ruthless fascist troops of the reactionary state and carry forward to a higher stage the people’s democratic revolution.

To the AFP and PNP, the NPA will not turn our backs on the sustained operations in Negros Island. There will be no peace and justice without a just war. You are only after your salary and position. The Red fighters will fight for the land and life you have grabbed from the oppressed and exploited people. The real fighters of the people will grow stronger and further mount tactical offensives.