Reds declare anniversary ceasefire

MANILA, Philippines — The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines declared a two-day ceasefire yesterday to mark its 55th founding anniversary on Dec. 26.

The CPP Central Committee ordered all units of the New People’s Army (NPA) across the country to suspend tactical offensives at the strike of the first hour of Dec. 25 until the clock ticks 23:59 on Dec. 26.

The two-day ceasefire aims to allow the peasant masses and NPA units in their area to conduct assemblies, meetings or gatherings to celebrate the party’s anniversary, look back at past achievements and pay tribute to all heroes and martyrs of the Philippine revolution, CPP’s Central Committee information officer Marco Valbuena said.

This ceasefire declaration is also in solidarity with people’s traditional holiday celebrations, he added.

However, Valbuena noted, “in the face of the relentless offensives, state terrorism and fascist crimes of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, all units of the NPA are placed on high alert and must be vigilant and ready to act in self-defense to counter and frustrate hostile movement or actions of enemy units within the scope of the NPA’s guerrilla fronts and areas of operations.”

At the strike of 1 a.m. on Dec. 27, Valbuena said, NPA rebels can resume immediately because “amid worsening economic crisis and intensifying oppression under the Marcos regime, the NPA must continue to carry out extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare to fight state terrorism and defend the people’s democratic rights and interests.”

Meanwhile, former senator Ping Lacson lauded the Philippine National Police for not recommending a ceasefire this Christmas with the CPP and its armed wing NPA.

In a statement on Friday, Lacson said the government should not “squander its gains” by having a Christmas ceasefire.

The former police chief said authorities should not give the communists “breathing space to regroup and reconsolidate their strength to fight and overthrow” the government which is their “only agenda in the first place.”

“The CPP-NPA is almost a spent force – thanks to the efforts of former president Rodrigo Duterte and the security forces during his term as president,” Lacson said. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab