Padilla: Martial law in Mindanao also targets NPAs

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the scheduled resumption of peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front, the New Peoples' Army is also a target of government security forces operating in Mindanao.

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said that degrading the capability of the NPA is part of the military operations under the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

"The AFP and our security forces are ascertained that the NPA also issued an attack order," Padilla said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

He noted that the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines issued a directive to step up attacks against the Philippine National Police and the AFP in response to the declaration of martial law.

Padilla added that the NPA would not have been a target of military operations if not for their declaration against government forces.

"It’s a tit-for-tat so why would we not forewarn our men, like what the secretary has mentioned, if we know that they are leaning forward to attack and destroy our forces," Padilla said.

READ: CPP: Did Duterte really order stop to offensives vs NPA?

The announcement comes despite a statement in June from the government peace panel that security forces will stop offensive operations against the NPA in response to a National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP, or NDF) statement that communist rebels will cease operations against the government in Mindanao.

The panel said that reciprocating the move was meant “to pave way for the eventual signing of a mutually agreed bilateral ceasefire agreement and agreements on social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms.” 

Padilla clarified Wednesday that operations against the NPA would not necessarily mean stopping the peace negotiations.

"Having that does not necessarily mean that we’re stopping the peace talks so actually the NPA and the Armed Forces are in a talk-and-fight and fight-and-talk situation but it would have been more desirable to have a silencing of the guns while the peace talks is ongoing," he said.

Padilla stressed that the government is committed to resume the peace talks with communist rebels.

"The president has made a declaration and an openness to have the formality of the peace talks resume once again so that’s a good indication because we still have the capacity to revive what we are slowly losing if we keep on fighting," Padilla said.

Government peace panel chair Silvestre Bello III earlier confirmed that the fifth round of talks between the government peace panel and the NDF will be held on the second or third week of August.

The peace panel and the NDF would hold an informal meeting this month to discuss socioeconomic reforms and the possibility of a unilateral ceasefire.

RELATED: Peace panel, NDF to meet informally before 5th round of peace talks