The Negros Island command of the National Democratic Front yesterday said its doors are open to "enlightened" military and police troopers who are for a concerted and sustained move to oust President Gloria Arroyo who, it reiterated, is a "fake and anti-people" chief executive of the country.

It challenged government troopers to emulate retired Gen. Raymundo Jarque and SPO1 Joel Geollegue who had sought refuge with the rebels and joined the cause of the people's armed movement.

In a statement from priest-turned-rebel leader, Frank Fernandez, the NDF also lauded militants and sectors actively taking to the streets calling for Arroyo to step down.

It urged all church leaders and the people to take part in the sacrifices of rebel-protestors and peasants who are at the forefront of the anti-Arroyo rallies and demonstrations.

"We also appreciate the stand of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines in pursuing the truth behind the people's pronouncement that Arroyo is a fake, fascist, and puppet president," its statement added.

The group also tagged as "false" the repeated and apologist stance of the Arroyo regime that the Filipino people are already "tired" of joining street protests after the infamous EDSA I and II.

"The government only wants to downplay the fact that the history of a nation is a history of the uprising of its people," the NDF said.

The movement also opposed the Mining Act of 1995, all mining concessions, and called for the protection of the environment.

It said the armed struggle and tactical offensives against the military and police will also continue, notwithstanding the already massive withdrawal of support to the Arroyo administration of uniformed personnel, the NDF added.

The statement cited the 11 offensives launched by the New People's Army last year in the form of harassment, commando operation, summary executions and sanctions.

This year, the military and police should expect more intensified offensives in Negros from the rebels who are seeking justice for the oppressed people. The people have suffered so much from the pro-imperialist and anti-democratic policies of Arroyo that have affected the farmers in the form of land grabbing and other evils caused by mining firms, "eco-terrorism" projects, landlords, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office, and from human rights violations by military men, the NDF press statement added.*GCT

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