The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today denounced the Aquino regime and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for making use of the Yolanda tragedy as a camouflage to carry out relentless offensive operations in Sorsogon province and elsewhere

The armed encounter happened in the interior areas of Matnog, at least 3 km. away from the Maharlika Highway land route from Luzon to Samar island, and 5 km. away from the Matnog port... These AFP troops were on search and destroy operations.

MEDIA RELEASE
By CPP Information Bureau
13 November 2013

AFP lying, encountered troops in Sorsogon not carrying Yolanda relief -- CPP

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today denounced the Aquino regime and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for making use of the Yolanda tragedy as a camouflage to carry out relentless offensive operations in Sorsogon province and elsewhere.

“Malacañang and its AFP officials were lying when they claimed that the 31st Infantry Battalion troops that figured in an encounter with the New People's Army yesterday were involved in humanitarian aid operations for Yolanda victims,” pointed out the CPP.

A report issued by the AFP indicated that the armed encounter erupted past 5:00 a.m. in Barangay (village) Balocawe in Matnog, Sorsogon.

“While awaiting more detailed field reports from the NPA Celso Minguez Command in Sorsogon, it is instructive to point out that the reported encounter happened in the interior areas of Matnog, a site that is at least three kilometers away from the Maharlika Highway land route from Luzon to Samar island, and five kilometers away from the Matnog port,” said the CPP.

“The Aquino regime and the AFP are lying through their teeth in claiming that their troops involved in an armed encountered yesterday were involved in a humanitarian mission, exploiting the plight of the Yolanda diaster victims to conceal the brutalities of their continued offensive operations,” added the CPP.

“The encountered AFP troops were clearly on an offensive mode and carrying out search and destroy operations in the interior areas of Matnog.”

The CPP said NPA units in areas ravaged by the recent super typhoon Yolanda are currently engaged in relief and rehabilitation efforts assisting local Party branches and revolutionary mass organizations in mobilizing emergency supply for disaster victims.

The CPP said revolutionary forces are exerting efforts to reach out to hundreds of thousands of people especially in the interior and mountainous areas of Samar and Leyte islands, as well as in the islands of Panay, Negros, Mindoro, Masbate, Palawan and others, who have been practically abandoned by the reactionary Philippine government.