This is in reaction to the news item titled “Rebs seize rice meant for voters” (Across the Nation, 5/7/13).
It is so disappointing to hear that the rice intended for victims of drought were confiscated by heartless elements of the New People’s Army. What has become of the NPA? Its ideologues say the NPA will free the Filipino people from poverty and suffering. Yet they themselves are impoverishing people and causing them more suffering.
The report says that NPA rebels seized the rice stock because it had been hoarded by some politicians for later use—to “buy” votes in the May 13 elections.
I think this was a very lame excuse. What happened was that the rice went to the movement instead of feeding the people in the poor villages of Magpet, Cotabato. The people in those remote villages were waiting for their rice ration, and now they will go hungry.
The fact is: The villages that have been under NPA control have remained poor, and have shown no sign of progress at all. The people in these places have experienced no growth from the time of their grandfathers. Many of them are unschooled and the mortality rate (among men, women, children) is very high. As a volunteer social worker a year ago, I lived and saw these villages and, indeed, I can attest that the people there are in dire need of progress and development. I hope the NPA rebels will leave these places alone, otherwise the people there will get poorer with each passing day.
—LOLETTE QUIBRITO,
lolette_quibrito@yahoo.com