Militants, NDF slam
KMP leader's arrest
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo yesterday joined other groups in ganging up on the police for the arrest of the deputy secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas, suspected of being a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines Central Committee and facing charges for 15 counts of in Leyte .

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, said this shows that Randal Echanis is a very important person to them.

“Why is everybody so interested in Echanis and alarmed over his arrest, when they are claiming that he is just an ordinary peasant worker?” Franco asked.

ILOILO CITY – Deputy Director General Emmanuel Carta yesterday said the Philippine National Police will also play an active role in helping the military to crush the communist rebellion in 2010.

Carta, however, said the police will not necessarily join the military in running after armed rebels in the mountains, but will engage in activities aimed at “wining the hearts and minds” of the people in urban areas.

He said there are groups in urban areas that are affiliated with the rebel movement, who exploited issues and concerns raised by the people, which had been left unattended by concerned government agencies.

Vice Governor Isidro Zayco yesterday said the cut in the Internal Revenue Allotments of the 13 cities in Negros Occidental will affect the entire province because it will mean close to P500 million out of circulation.

The 120 cities under the League of Cities of the Philippines Monday began a protest against the creation of 16 new cities by Congress, saying they did not meet the income and population requirements mandated by law.

The creation of the new cities also means the existing 120 cities, instead of getting an additional 14.3 percent additional IRA, will only get 4.7 percent, the LCP said.