Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

492 • NEW PEOPLE’S ARMYfor kidnapping to gain ransom. The more purely revolutionary terrorismof the group is seen in the operations of its death squads,called Sparrow Squads, who murder Filipino politicians, militaryfigures, police officers, government collaborators, and even membersof the news media who dare to criticize the NPA. These actions aremeant to drive foreign investment out and to provoke the governmentto undertake repressive measures that would discredit it with the Filipinopopulation. Prior to the 1992 closing of Clark Air Force Baseand the Subic Bay U.S. naval facility, the Sparrows had also targetedU.S. service members. Within those parts of central and northern LuzonIsland where the NPA controls rural areas and villages, as wellas within the ranks of NPA members and supporters, the organizationalso practices its own repressive terrorism, having imprisoned,tortured, or executed some 1,000 of its own ranks in recent years.After 1987 there was a marked upswing in NPA terrorism. Thegrowth and success of the group has been due in part to the neglectof the countryside and corruption experienced during the FerdinandMarcos regime as well as the difficulties of the Corazón Aquinoadministration in presiding over the transition to a democratic order.The marked increase in NPA terrorism since 1987 may have beendue to the NPA exploiting a unique historic opportunity affordedby the instability accompanying the transition from dictatorship todemocracy. Such an explanation may account for increased NPA terrorismdirected at others but does not so readily explain the upswingin the NPA’s internal purges and disciplining of its own members.This increased internally directed terrorism may be an attempt toquell dissent within the NPA ranks over the proper goals and strategyof the NPA in the post-Marcos era.From 1974 to 2007, the NPA conducted at least 90 noteworthyactions of which 38 were armed attacks, 20 were assassinations, 20were bombings, seven were arsons, and five were kidnappings. Fourkidnappings were for ransom, while a kidnapping of a South Koreancontractor on 10 November 1987 was undertaken to force the Philippinearmy to remove units from a certain region. Certain of the bombingsand arson attacks against foreign-owned farms and factories alsomay have been retaliation for refusal to pay extortion money.Except for the shooting deaths of three servicemen at Subic Bayon 13 April 1974 and a few sniper and mortar attacks on the Voiceof America transmitting station in the Tinang area, there had been