Año on inclusion in alleged ‘kill list’ of Reds: I’m not intimidated by such evil plot

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday said he is not intimidated by the supposed plot of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to assassinate him.

"I will not be intimidated by such evil plot. We are prepared for that. We will get them before they can execute their plan," Año told reporters.

"We'll keep this country safe against these Godless communist terrorists," he added. Año is a former military chief.

It was Major General Antonio Parlade Jr., the spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC), who revealed the alleged plan of the communist rebels at the sidelines of a forum on Wednesday.

Parlade said that aside from Año, those included in the alleged "kill list" of the communists under its Oplan Hades, are National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples chairperson Allen Capuyan.

"Oplan Hades, isang operation intended to neutralize counter-revolutionaries. Ang nangunguna sa listahan si Secretary Año, Secretary Esperon, Secretary Capuyan," Parlade had said.

"Matagal na Oplan Hades, kasama 'yung sinasama na Red October, anim 'yun na oplan but 'yung Hades nandiyan na 'yan. Nag-adjust sila ng mga targets nila nung nacreate 'yung National Task Force to End Local Communist," he added.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), for its part, said the police would remain alert and vigilant as regards this threat. However, the police believe that this kind of threat is no longer new.

"Well hindi naman bago ang mga ganitong banta sa seguridad ng ating mga matataas na pinuno lalo na at paparating na naman ang founding anniversary ng CPP subalit palagi tayong nananatiling alerto at mapagmatyag sa anumang maaaring criminal activities na gagawin ng kanilang mga kasapi," PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said.

Banac said there would be no changes as regards the number of security personnel of the DILG chief.

Banac also said police would continue to go after the high-ranking leaders of the communist group especially those who have standing warrants of arrest.

"Patuloy po ang pagmamanman sa kanilang kinaroonan nang sa gayon ay maihain natin ang standing warrants of arrest na 'yan at sagutin po nila sa korte ang lahat ng mga inirereklamo at mga charges laban sa kanila," he said. — RSJ, GMA News