EDITORIAL - Any rebel attack threat in Cebu is real

Authorities are now bracing for intensified offensives from the rebels now that the Duterte administration has branded the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army as a terrorist organization and ordered the arrest of communists with standing warrants of arrest.

Even if Cebu has already been declared free from rebels, the military's Central Command and the Police Regional Office-7 should take this recent development seriously. They should not be complacent and see to it that no rebels from nearby provinces can penetrate Cebu and spoil its peace and order.

Any rebel attack threat in Cebu is real considering its proximity to the Negros provinces, where the communists still maintain a sizable armed force. Cebu is just an hour by boat from these provinces and has many entry points. If the Abu Sayyaf had managed to slip into Bohol from Mindanao, there's no reason why the rebels from neighboring provinces cannot penetrate Cebu.

We have to expect more encounters between government troops and the rebels across the country now that President Rodrigo Duterte declared the CPP-NPA a terrorist group. The rebels will be expected to go all-out against the government to make the latter pay for branding them as terrorists like the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

As Cebuanos prepare for any eventuality, everyone needs to be more alert since there's a high chance hostilities will spread to Cebu, especially to the northern towns where NPAs used to have a presence decades ago.

It's too early to see the effect of the government's move. But how safe is Cebu when the present tension escalates into a full-blown war between the government and the rebels? Have our local government units across the province already prepared contingency measures to protect the lives of their constituents?

Cebuanos need to be assured of their safety from authorities. Local officials, the military and police should put a premium on the people's security because in any war, civilians are the ones always caught in the crossfire.