As Communist Party marks 41st anniversary: Southern Tagalog police on full alert

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa has placed the entire police force in Southern Tagalog under full alert to prevent attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) in commemoration of the 41st founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Dec. 26.

Verzosa said other police units elsewhere in Luzon are also on heightened alert to ensure their operational readiness to respond to any hostile actions by the communist rebels.

Malacañang has yet to declare a unilateral ceasefire with the rebels during the holidays, as recommended by the Armed Forces.

Based on historical records, Verzosa said though the CPP-NPA “has been known to mount hostile activities” in celebration of the CPP anniversary.

“These offensive activities include ‘show of force’ and other high-profile actions to gain propaganda mileage,” he added.

The full alert status in Southern Tagalog followed a raid by at least 70 NPA guerrillas on the police station of San Narciso town in Quezon last Sunday afternoon.

Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, Region 4-A (Calabarzon) police director, said the rebels, heavily armed and wearing camouflage uniforms, ransacked the municipal police station’s armory of at least 13 firearms, including five M-16 rifles and four 9-mm pistols.

Senior Superintendent Francis Elmo Sarona, Quezon police director, said the rebels also looked for the town’s police chief but he was not around during the raid.

The rebels escaped on board two vans, which were recovered by police a few hours later in Barangay Buenavista in San Narciso town.

The guerrillas reportedly freed two comrades detained at the municipal jail, but police and military authorities would neither confirm nor deny this.

Reports said the rebels gained entry into the police station as five female comrades disguised themselves as media practitioners.

Clashes with rebels were also reported in the Quezon towns of Mauban and Real.

Verzosa has mobilized elements of the Regional Mobile Group and the Provincial Mobile Groups of Quezon for the pursuit operations under the direction of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Southern Luzon in coordination with the Armed Forces’ Southern Luzon Command. – With Michelle Zoleta, Ed Amoroso and Arnell Ozaeta