By Edwin Fernandez and Noel Punzalan/Philippine News Agency
COTABATO CITY – The Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (IB) has conducted an information drive Wednesday on the government’s development programs, as part of a larger effort to further degrade the influence of the communist rebel movement in the countryside.
Led by 2Lt. John Gerald Agdalpen, commander of 33rd IB Alpha Company, the information drive dubbed “Iba ang May Alam Campaign” was done simultaneously with a community outreach program held in Barangay Kabulanan, Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat.
Agdalpen said the activity was spearheaded by Joahnna Somintac, who works for the Bagumbayan mayor’s office, and aided by Lester Defensor, a nurse who represented the municipal health office.
Lt. Col Elmer Boongaling, 33IB commander, appealed to the people of Bagumbayan not to fall for the deceptive ploy of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA).
“Do not be deceived by the communist terrorists,” he told the villagers during the “pulong-pulong” (village gathering) as he discussed the various strategies of the NPAs in luring residents into the terrorist organization.
Agdalpen said the common tactic of the rebels was to “poison the minds” of the residents to develop hatred against the government.
The medical outreach program that followed the gathering included medical check-ups, distribution of free medicines, circumcision, and distribution of relief goods.
The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
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