Military vigilant against attacks as CPP marks anniversary

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Tuesday said it is "on full alert and vigilant" for possible rebel attacks during the celebration of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ 49^th founding anniversary.

“The AFP is on full alert and vigilant for possible CPP-New People’s Army attacks on our people and vulnerable communities,” Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson, said.

He added: “Their celebration is usually accompanied by armed attacks against the people that reflect the CPP-New People’s Army’s true color as a criminal organization void of any ideology.”

READ: Reds announce ceasefire for Christmas, CPP anniversary

CPP declared a unilateral ceasefire from 6 p.m. of December 23 to 6 p.m. of December 26. The government’s holiday truce, meanwhile, covers a longer period from 6 p.m. of December 23 to 11:59 p.m. of December 26.

Both sides also declared another ceasefire for the New Year.

“The AFP will abide by the government’s suspension of military operations and will maintain active defense posture nationwide to thwart any atrocity, deception and sabotage that that CPP-NPA is planning to stage,” Arevalo said.

The AFP spokesperson said that the CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front lost its “ideological mooring and all its actions reflect a terrorist organization.”

“It is in this light that we call on their members to take a good look at their organization and reflect deeply so that they may be able to decide to come back into the fold of the law, be with their families and become productive citizens of the community,” Arevalo said.

Early in December, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the CPP and its armed wing, the NPA, as terrorist groups following his cancellation of peace talks with the communists in mid-November.

NPA has earned the ire of Duterte for staging attacks that killed civilians.

The CPP was founded by Jose Maria Sison on December 26, 1968. 

READ: Duterte declares CPP-NPA as terrorist groups