Captured NPA members receive COVID-19 vaccines —Army

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A former member of the New People" s="" Army="" receives="" a="" COVID-19="" according="" to="" the="" military.="" Photo="" courtesy="" of="" Infantry="" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/09/20/npa-vaccination.jpg"/><figcaption>A former member of the New People&#x27;s Army receives a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the military. <em>Photo courtesy of the 4th Infantry Division</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Dozens of captured members of the New People&#x27;s Army (NPA) received vaccines against COVID-19, the 4th Infantry Division (ID) of the Philippine Army said Monday.</p><p>The 4th ID implemented the inoculation after some communist rebels captured in San Fernando, Bukdinon tested positive for COVID-19.</p><p>The division believes COVID-19 is widespread among the NPA.</p><p>The 88th Infantry Battalion administered Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines to 11 former rebels and six of their dependents.</p><p>Through the 58th Infantry Battalion, 15 former rebels from NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee received their first doses of Moderna and Sinovac vaccines.</p><p>Seven former rebels from Surigao del Sur, and six former rebels and four dependents from Agusan del Norte also received the jab.</p><p>A high-ranking NPA member also received his first dose of the Sinovac vaccine.</p><p>&quot;We reiterate our willingness to share to the [Communist Terrorist Group] members the vaccines intended for our soldiers,&quot; said Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., commander of the 4th ID.</p><p>&quot;We assure them that we will give them proper medical attention and get them vaccinated once they return to the folds of the law,&quot; he said.</p><p>In July last year, President Rodrigo Duterte, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, offered COVID-19 vaccines to communist rebels if they stop fighting military troops until December that year. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/31/20/duterte-offers-vaccines-to-npa-rebels-if-they-stop-fighting-till-december">Duterte offers vaccines to NPA rebels if they stop fighting till December</a></li></ul><p>Brawner said over 20,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were given to the 4th ID, which can be shared with rebels.</p><p>But the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) warned NPA fighters against the Army&#x27;s &quot;vaccine for surrender&quot; offer, saying the scheme shows how the government is using the COVID-19 pandemic &quot;in its continuing suppression campaign and counterinsurgency.&quot;</p><p>The organization said it believes the AFP will use the offer to &quot;force thousands of people to line up and be paraded as NPA surrenderees.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We have reason to believe that the seven people arrested by the military in San Fernando, Bukidnon... are actually civilians living in the area,&quot; it said.</p><p>The CPP said it was also looking into the military&#x27;s reports of NPA fighters who have been infected with COVID-19, adding that it had already anticipated COVID-19 to reach NPA units.</p><p>It also criticized the AFP&#x27;s counterinsurgency campaign, where residents of rural villages are &quot;compelled&quot; to join assemblies, which lead to COVID-19 infections.</p><p>&quot;This is why since the start of the pandemic, NPA units have been advising and helping village people’s organizations and health workers on measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their villages,&quot; it said.</p><p>&quot;Until vaccines are more widely available, units of the NPA have been advised of the use of herbal medication... and regular physical exercise to promote good health and fight COVD-19 infections.&quot;</p><div><strong>— With a report from Rod Bolivar, and Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1778124" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Dozens of captured members of the New People's Army received vaccines against COVID-19, the 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army said.

Captured NPA members receive COVID-19 vaccines —Army | ABS-CBN

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Captured NPA members receive COVID-19 vaccines —Army

Captured NPA members receive COVID-19 vaccines —Army

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 20, 2021 03:57 PM PHT

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Philippine Army

4th Infantry Division

New People's Army

Communist Party of the Philippines

Covid-19

vaccine

vaccine for surrender

communist rebellion

insurgency

coronavirus

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