By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
Government troops are now on red alert to thwart all possible attacks of the New People’s Army (NPA) this Yuletide season.
In a “Laging Handa” press briefing on Wednesday, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) have already been implementing intensified security measures to ensure the safety of the people.
This, after the CPP’s Central Committee announced that it will conduct tactical offensives against government troops since President Duterte did not declare a holiday ceasefire with them.
“Talagang red alert ang AFP at PNP. Kung mayroon mang banta ang CPP-NPA ay ano bang bago? Dati na silang nandyan at mayroong armas,” Esperon said.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Duterte must have realized the insincerity of the Reds so he decided not to declare a truce with them.
“Iyong mga ceasefire kasi noong mga nakaraang taon, sila lang ang lamang eh. They can resupply, they can refurbish, they can regroup. They can again go to the barangays and recruit members so huwag na natin pag-usapan ang ceasefire kung ganoon ang ginagawa nila,” Lorenzana said in the sidelines of the AFP’s fleet review and flyby in Morong, Bataan.
According to the CPP Central Committee, they are “forced to dispense with the traditional holiday ceasefire this year” since Duterte refused to declare a truce with them.
“Units of the NPA are hereby ordered to actively defend the masses and themselves against the attacks of the AFP and frustrate the enemy’s armed offensives and plans to terrorize the masses during these holidays. They can carry out tactical offensives especially against attacking troops of the enemy,” the CPP Central Committee said.
At the same time, the CPP Central Committee urged all of its Party committees, NPA units, and mass organizations “to carry out secret meetings and assemblies” to mark their upcoming 52nd anniversary.
But Esperon said it was the CPP-NPPA that should prepare since all security measures were already put in place to prevent the enemies of the State from launching attacks against the military, police, and civilians.
“They should be prepared for that. Kung mayroon silang gagawing kaguluhan ay nakahanda ang ating mga tropa,” he said.
Traditionally, the government and the CPP-NPA announce ceasefires during the holiday season but this setup changed this year when Duterte said that he would no longer declare a truce with the Reds until his term ends in 2022.
Both the government and the CPP-NPA have been accusing each other of violating the ceasefire by attacking their members.
