By: Emme Rose Santiagudo
THE Sangguniang Panlungsod of Iloilo City refused to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA) as persona non grata.
During their session on Friday, the SP junked the request of Police Colonel Martin Defensor, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director, to declare the CPP-NPA unwelcome persons in the city.
According to Councilor Plaridel Nava, there are no reports of CPP-NPA presence in the city of Iloilo.
Why would the City Council pass a resolution declaring the CPP-NPA as Persona Non-Grata particularly in Iloilo City. In fact, there are no reports that there are CPP-NPA in the city. There are also no incidents that would show that criminalities are actually committed by the CPP-NPA, he said.
In a letter dated May 10, 2019, Defensor asked the help of Mayor Jose Espinosa III in their campaign against terrorism.
Although our city was declared as a white area, meaning there is no internal security threat, there is persistent information that CPP-NPA uses the city as a rest and recreational area, the letter said.
There are already some local government units (LGUs) in the area of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that declared the CPP-NPA as persona non grata, according to Defensor.
In this regard, we would like to solicit your support in our campaign against terrorism by requesting the city council to pass a resolution declaring the CPP-NPA as Persona-non-grata particularly in the city of Iloilo, he said.
Nava said he couldnt understand the motive of Defensor for asking such request.
I dont know which part of the law he is banking why he is asking for us to declare the CPP-NPA. The Congress would not even declare it as terrorists. I dont know the motive of Defensor why hes asking for that. On my part, as the floor leader I dont want to recognize that, he added.
The council merely noted Defensors letter.
