Ramos Disputes Philippine Rebel Claim

Gen. Fidel V. Ramos, chief of the Philippine armed forces, conceded Wednesday that President Corazon Aquino’s government will not defeat the Communist rebellion until it effectively addresses the country’s economic troubles.

At the same time, Ramos disputed a rebel statement, broadcast from a secret site last Saturday, that the rebels will achieve a “strategic stalemate” with the military in less than three years. He called the statement “a very nebulous or far-fetched expectation on their part.”

According to figures provided by Ramos, 3,598 soldiers, civilians and guerrillas, an average of about 10 people a day, have been killed in the fighting this year, making 1987 the second-bloodiest since the war began 19 years ago. More than half of the victims have been soldiers or civilians caught in cross-fire.

Cites Army Victories

Ramos said the armed forces had scored some major victories and that the death toll was higher because Aquino had given the military a freer hand. Rebels have been killed at an average rate of about 4.6 a day, only slightly higher than in previous years.

The killing has been resumed after an informal two-day Christmas cease-fire. On Monday, a band of 80 guerrillas overran an army forward base on the southernmost island of Mindanao. One soldier was reported killed in the action.

In the northern province of Ilocos Norte, a rebel group kidnaped a candidate in the forthcoming local election. And in the neighboring province of Ilocos Sur, at least 50 rebels took over a town hall and raided the police armory, making off with dozens of weapons and radio equipment.

The military went back on the offensive in several provinces. At least three rebels were reported killed after they set up a checkpoint on a main road in central Luzon.

Another two-day cease-fire is scheduled to take effect today, for New Year’s.

Army Suffers Shortages

At his press conference, Ramos conceded that the government’s 155,000-member armed forces still suffer from severe equipment and manpower shortages. Because of supply problems, he said, only a little over half of the requests for communications gear or reinforcement can be satisfied at any given time.

Ramos said he remains optimistic that the Aquino government will win the war, provided it carries out economic programs to help the largely impoverished population of 57 million.

Asked about recent criticism by retired U.S. Army Gen. Richard Stilwell, who has questioned Ramos’ leadership ability and testified to the U.S. Congress that the Philippine armed forces are losing the insurgency, Ramos replied, “That is one man’s opinion.”

Without smiling, Ramos said that Stilwell, who helped the Philippine military put down a similar Communist rebellion in the 1950s, “is starting to sound like a Gringo-lover more and more.”

Ramos was referring to Col. Gregorio (Gringo) Honasan, who led last August’s bloody coup attempt. Honasan, who is widely known by his nickname, was captured two weeks ago and is being held on a navy ship in Manila Bay.

Army Dissidents Weakened

Honasan’s capture, Ramos said Wednesday, reduced the ability of dissidents within the armed forces to destabilize the government, but he added that ultra-right groups “can still hit on a terroristic or guerrilla-type operation.”

Ramos said he expects further such attempts in 1988, along with an increase in attacks by the Communist insurgents.

Ramos also insisted that neither he nor Aquino will ever permit direct American military intervention in the counterinsurgency effort. He added, “Our government and our armed forces will be severely criticized by our people if we did permit it.”

Overall, Ramos concluded that “the government is steadily becoming better in being able to handle the insurgency.” He said the most important element of its efforts to put down the prolonged rebellion will be the local elections scheduled for Jan. 18.