The spokesperson of the New People’s Army in Panay belied the PNP’s and AFP’s claims that senior citizens arrested in Valderrama, Antique on March 15 were their comrades.

In a statement sent to the media on Sunday, Julio Montana, the spokesperson of Coronacion “Waling-waling” Chiva Command of NPA Panay said the “[t]here is no truth in the news spread by the Philippine National Police-R6 (PNP-R6) and 3RD Infantry Division of the Philippine Army (3ID-PA) that two “wanted New People’s Army insurgents” were “captured” in Valderama, Antique earlier this week.”

“To shed light, we are clarifying to the public that the two senior citizens are not members of the NPA,” Montana added.

The arrested senior citizens were Alfredo Alarcon, 67 years old, and Tobias Jurada, 64 years old. They were presented as “NPA insurgents” by the AFP and PNP.

Alarcon was even tagged as “NPA-Southern Front Committee sub-leader”.

“The police and military have bragged the arrest of the falsely accused senior citizens to spread misinformation. Both the military and police are inventing and peddling fake news to weaponize misinformation and sow public confusion,” said Montana.

Montana also suspected that the arrest is another money-making scheme of corrupt police and military officials in the region.

Last week, the NPA also denied that there was an encounter in Calinog as announced by the AFP.

The NPA cautioned the public to be critical and investigative towards information that are peddled by the government’s military and police./www.panaytoday.net