The Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade is expected to participate in the electoral process, as part of their parliamentary struggle, in 2013.

RPA-ABB spokesman Victorino Sumulong, said that as a matter of principle and policy of the organization, their group will not use guns to persuade others to campaign for their candidates.

Sumulong, who attended the inventory of firearms possessed by their members in the cities of Kabankalan, San Carlos and Cadiz last week, vehemently denied claims that RPA-ABB members are being used by some politicians as their private armed goons.

“If there are some issues that cropped up that our group engaged in politics, that is part of our mainstreaming to enter into a new dimension of struggle, which focuses on the parliamentary struggle, and no longer the armed struggle,” Sumulong said.

The government is eyeing the signing of the closure of the peace agreement with the RPA-ABB within the first semester of 2012, as it has already started the inventory of firearms of the rebel group, as stipulated in the last phase of the agreement signed in year 2000.

In 2007 and 2010 elections, of the RPA-ABB was accused of terrorizing supporters of the opponents of their favored candidates.

Sumulong called on the government to fast-track the closure of the peace agreement, to finally conclude the movements of their armed members.

Records of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process showed that the RPA-ABB has about 700 members in Negros and Panay, and in some areas of Bukidnon, and that they possess an estimated 600 guns.* GPB

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