AFP remains on guard against NPA despite ceasefire

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the joint ceasefire agreement between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not letting its guard down against possible attacks and atrocities by the insurgents.

In fact, the military has stepped up its intelligence efforts in preparation for the 44th anniversary of the CPP tomorrow.

Armed Forces spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said security forces are not taking their chances even if they have not detected any significant threat posed by the rebels.

“We will stay vigilant and maintain a proactive defense posture to thwart any attempt to disrupt the peaceful way of life of our peace-loving citizens. We have not monitored any significant threat; however, we will always be on guard to protect our people,” he said.

As approved by President Aquino, the AFP has recently declared a unilateral truce against the NPAs that took effect last Dec. 16 and will run until Jan. 2 until. This unilateral truce was, however, superseded by the new ceasefire agreement.

Burgos said that troops on forward deployment will continue to conduct intelligence-driven and focused pre-emptive defense posture against any threats, including those coming from the insurgents.

“Our intelligence units in the field will intensify further their intelligence collection efforts and continue intelligence networking, sharing and liaising with other intelligence agents of agencies concerned, particularly the Philippine National Police (PNP),” he said.

On Friday, government troops’ intensified intelligence operations foiled what could have been NPA pre-planned major attacks this year on Mulanay and San Narciso towns in Quezon, five days after the joint truce took effect.

The foiled rebel offensive also resulted in the arrest by Army troops of five high-ranking NPA rebels tasked to conduct casing and monitoring operations on their intended targets.

The National Democratic Front, the political umbrella organization of the CPP-NPA, and the Aquino government, through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPPAP), have agreed on a 27-day nationwide ceasefire from Dec. 17 to Jan. 15.

The ceasefire agreement was a result of a meeting on the special track between the government and the NDF from Dec. 17 to 18 at The Hague, OPAPP said.

In an earlier statement, CPP said the truce “will enable the revolutionary forces to carry out mass assemblies and public demonstrations to mark their 44th anniversary and celebrate revolutionary victories of the past year.”

Burgos said there is nothing alarming about the plan of CPP allies to carry out mass assemblies as long as they do not violate any law.

He said the communist movement in the country is on a decline due to the government’s development efforts.  

“People now want peace. Nobody wins when there is violence,” he said, referring to the communists’ armed struggle. –Jaime Laude, Alexis Romero