By Edwin Iyo
Correspondent
Butuan City — Most of the reported communist rebels who surrendered to the government are not real. Many are faked, ghosts, and fabricated, claimed Communist Party of the Philippines chief advisor Jose Maria Sison in a live online interview with reporters via Skype, Monday morning.
“Ginagamit ang pekeng kaparaanan para lang manakaw nila ang pera. Maraming paraan sa pagpepeke. Maglagay lang ng pangalan sa listahan pero walang tao,” said Sison.
Sison added that security forces also convince innocent civilians to sign an attendance sheet and instructed them to claim they are members of CPP’s armed-wing, the New People’s Army.
He told reporters that the military and police have been making money through fake and ghost surrenderers from the government funds in an easy way as their rackets using peace campaign and development under Executive Order 17.
“Diyan sila kumikita,” Sison added.
Reporters coming from the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Butuan, and Davao were about to cover the belated celebration of 51st founding anniversary of the CPP held in Bacuag town in Surigao del Norte was given an opportunity to interview Sison.
The activity hosted by the New People’s Army’s Front 16 was canceled due to the military movement near the venue where the supposed activity would have been done.
The reporters were also able to interview Ka Oto of the front 16 on a loudspeaker through a phone call on the evening of Dec. 29.
Ka Oto advised the reporters not to proceed to the area for their own safety.
For his part, Col. Cerilo Balaoro, Jr., deputy brigade commander of the 402nd Brigade based in Butuan City, denied the allegations. He said all of those who surrendered are legitimate, “especially in our area.”
