No holiday truce with NPA, DND insists
DND public affairs chief Arsenio Andolong said yesterday a ceasefire with the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), will only give the rebel group a chance to continue their attacks on military and police outposts. AP/File
MANILA, Philippines — Even if it breaks tradition, the Department of National Defense (DND) is not bent on suspending military operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) during the Christmas and New Year break.
DND public affairs chief Arsenio Andolong said yesterday a ceasefire with the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), will only give the rebel group a chance to continue their attacks on military and police outposts.
“Defense Secretary (Delfin) Lorenzana has already spoken that he is not inclined to declare a suspension of military operations this Christmas,” he added.
During the past years, ceasefire was always declared during the Christmas and New Year break. But Andolong said Lorenzana is ready to break tradition if necessary.
President Duterte declared the CPP-NPA as terrorist group after he cancelled the peace talks following the reported attacks of the NPA against the military and police.
The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, is intensifying intelligence operations to thwart attempts by the NPA to expand its activities in the countryside.
Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, PNP spokesperson, said the police force is prepared to address threats posed by the NPA against communities, industries and government installations.
Carlos said the readiness of the PNP was evident when police units repulsed two separate attacks staged by the NPA in Labo, Camarines Norte and Binuangan, Misamis Oriental recently.
Government forces and the NPA have been clashing in various provinces, with encounters resulting in casualties and injuries mostly from the rebel side.
Last week, 14 NPA members were killed in an encounter with soldiers in Nasugbu, Batangas. Among the dead was a student of the University of the Philippines.
On Dec. 2, suspected communist rebels attacked members of the provincial mobile force company assigned at the Camarines Norte Police Provincial Command, during an early morning combat patrol operation.
Police Officer 2 Richard Abad was killed in the attack while six were wounded.
Last Dec. 3, four policemen of the Binuangan Municipal Police in Misamis Oriental were wounded after the municipal police station was attacked by suspected members of the NPA.
With Cecille Suerte Felipe
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