THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is returning the ‘favor’ to Malacañang which earlier approved a recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the government to drop the idea of declaring a truce with the insurgents even amid the holiday season.
In a press statement, CPP issued a parallel announcement hinting that there would be no holiday truce with the government this year, citing vicious attacks of the state forces have forced the CPP Central Committee to “dispense with the traditional holiday ceasefire this year.”
“In the past, the AFP has always treacherously taken advantage of NPA (New People’s Army) ceasefire declarations to mount offensives against units doing health campaigns and other public service,” the CPP said.
“The fascists have always displayed heavy-handed disregard of people’s holidays and disrespect for their customs and traditions,” it added.
The CPP likewise directed NPA units 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, particularly those who have perpetrated massacres and extrajudicial killings and who are notorious for grave abuses and violations of human rights,” the CPP said.
The CPP further called on all party committees, NPA units, and mass organizations to conduct secret meetings and assemblies in order to mark the upcoming 52nd anniversary of the CPP.
“Take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Filipino people’s martyrs and heroes, humbly celebrate the achievements and victories in the past year and strengthen the determination to resist and end the Duterte regime’s brutal reign of terror,” it said.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said there would be no ceasefire with the communist group for the rest of his term. More than a no-holiday-truce policy, the President also shelved the possibility of returning to the peace negotiating table with the National Democratic Front, the CPP’s negotiating arm.
The AFP has said communist rebels had been insincere during holiday truce in the previous years as they supposedly continued their atrocities, including extorting money from the public.