The ambush on Gingoog Mayor Ruth Guingona, wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, once again shows the disregard of the New People’s Army’s for human life.
NPA spokesperson Jorge Madlos said the attackers did not want to hurt civilians and was sorry it happened. But is saying “sorry” every time the NPA kills or injures civilians in an ambush enough to correct the situation? They have killed two men and injured a woman on the campaign trail for a daughter running for an elective local office.
Madlos said Guingona had been forewarned against going to the place with armed escorts, but she did not heed the warning and refused to stop when the NPA accosted their group. But the NPA has no authority to prohibit anybody from going to any place; it is not a legitimate arm of government. We live in a free country and no one can dictate to us what we should do or shouldn’t do. This is common sense.
Also, Guingona is a septuagenarian; she deserves the respect Filipino culture accords women and the elderly. But her attackers did not take this into consideration. If the NPA rebels feel they can just attack her and her group like it was their privilege, what more of ordinary civilians who are unarmed and defenseless?
The NPA should refrain from attacking civilians. Such act is not only sinful; it is a crime against humanity.
—PURITA S. CALLAN,
purita.callan@yahoo.com