NPA NOW SELLING POT TO SURVIVE

CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac-Dwind-ling mass base support and thinning
financial resources has forced the communist New People's Army (NPA)
to resort to the cultivation of marijuana to sustain their daily
operations, a top military official said here Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. Romeo B. Domin-guez, the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom)
chief, said the communists' turn to criminal activities was proven by
the discovery of a marijuana plantation in NPA-controlled territory in
Santa Lucia, Ilocos Sur.

Dominguez said combined military and police forces uprooted
fully-grown marijuana plants in the mountainous regions of Barangay
Pila East, Santa Lucia in Ilocos Sur last week.

The operation was conducted by the 50th Infantry Battalion and the
Santa Lucia PNP who acted on reports given by residents living near
the area where the communist rebels are believed to be operating.

Lt. Dominador Valerio, Lt. Pedro Quitoriano and Senior Insp. Fabiano
Sudario led the government troops during the operation to destroy the
plantation which had 41 fully-grown marijuana plants.

Dominguez said the possibility that the NPA may be behind the
cultivation of the marijuana plants could not be discounted, because
previous encounters with government troops have diminished the rebels'
resources.

He issued orders for the military to continue scouring the area in the
hopes of uprooting more marijuana plants.