THE Armed Forces on Thursday said it supports President Duterte’s recent declaration to end peace talks with the communists, which it accused of insincerity in pursuing peace with the government.
The Communist Party of the Philippines, meanwhile, said it is not extending its unilateral ceasefire, which ends today, Friday, with the government due to unrelenting military operations against its armed wing, the New People’s Army.
AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo noted 17 violations by NPA rebels of the unilateral ceasefire declared by the communist since March 26 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We welcome and support fully the pronouncements of the Commander in Chief,” Arevalo said of President Duterte, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the PNP.
Last week, Duterte announced that he was again terminating peace talks with the communist due to attacks perpetrated against government troops helping distribute financial and food assistance to families affected by COVID-19.
“It is indeed the apex of futility to continue the talks for peace with a terrorist group like the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) whose illegally armed members continue to oppress the needy, kill their community and tribal leaders, and senselessly kill the soldiers who help the poor receive vital government support – and worse, rob the indigents of relief package at this time of COVID-19 crisis,” Arevalo said.
Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire with the communists from March 19 up to April 16 while government troops help implement a Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine. The government ceasefire was not renewed.
The communists initially observed a March 26 to April 16 ceasefire in response to the United Nations call for a global ceasefire amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They later extended their truce up to April 30 but there is still no word if the communists will extend it anew.
The communists had accused the Armed Forces of committing 18 ceasefire violations which the military claimed was mere propaganda to undermine the government.
Arevalo said the military received reports from the field that NPA rebels violated the communist ceasefire 17 times, ignoring the government’s peace initiatives.
“Those recently recorded NPA atrocities only show clearly their callousness of the sufferings of our people and these terrorists’ desperate attempts to derail government assistance and claim ‘government’s inept, incompassionate and irresponsible actions in the face of the pandemic,” he said.
“That is their classic tactic to discredit government and fuel dissent to attempt to overthrow it. The CPP-NPA have never been sincere in talking peace with government,” Arevalo said, adding the communists have never been interested in genuine peace negotiations but were merely buying time “to consolidate, recruit, and strengthen their ranks and resume their offensives.”
“Indeed, it’s time to end the CPP-NPA’s more than 50 years of sowing havoc in the country and depriving the people their taste of peace and development,” Arevalo said.
FROM DEFENSE TO OFFENSE
The CCP said “all units of the NPA must immediately transition from an active defense posture to an offensive posture.”
“The refusal of the Duterte regime to relent in its attacks against the NPA, despite calls for a ‘global ceasefire’ has made the further extension of the NPA ceasefire impossible,” the CPP said.
It said government forces conducted 36 raids on NPA camps over the past 36 days, adding the number is on top of 11 military-initiated firefight “as a result of non-stop combat operations of the AFP.”
The CPP said 31 soldiers died and 25 others were injured during those skirmishes and added 18 rebels were killed and eight others were injured.
Once the communist ceasefire ends, the CPP said NPA forces “must always be ready to seize every opportunity to strike” at government troops. It added the NPA must monitor AFP and PNP abuses and take action to punish the perpetrators.
“The NPA must mount tactical offensives especially against the most notorious human rights violators and those who have subjected people to abuse. The NPA must target the isolated and weak units and detachments of the AFP and its armed auxiliaries,” it said.
Nevertheless, the CPP said NPA units will continue to facilitate the distribution of relief aid for people affected by the COVID-19. It said NPA units will also continue to conduct public health work and other assistance to the people.
The communist party assured that government agencies involved in relief efforts will not be harmed by revolutionary forces but should refuse protection from soldiers during relief missions.
“Agencies of the reactionary government are welcome to assist the masses in the revolutionary areas. The NPA assures your safety. We urge you to refuse AFP escorts as their presence only raises the danger of armed encounters,” it said.
