BANGUED, Abra—The unified Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army has warned the Office of the President and Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process against dealing with fake leaders of the organization.
Unified CPLA chairman and Bangued Vice Gov. Ronald Balao-as revealed there are some former CPLA leaders who are misrepresenting the group and lobbying for the supposed reactivation of the disbanded Cordillera bodies.
He said the former members, who were dishonorably dismissed, are not in a position to represent the unified factions of the CPLA.
“We call the attention of the people behind the move to confuse the government on the stand of the CPLA on pressing issues affecting the region not to muddle the issue because it is clear that the unified CPLA supports the official stand taken by the Regional Development Council in the Cordillera that we should all work for autonomy towards federalism. We did not sanction the acts of former CPLA leaders with questionable reputation to represent the group in lobbying with the government for programs and projects that will be to their own personal and political interests,” Balao-as said.
The Abra official lamented it was unfortunate that former CPLA leaders are now trying to ride on the gains of the RDC in the region’s renewed quest for autonomy.