MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday condemned the New People’s Army (NPA) for violating its own Christmas truce when its members attacked military targets and personnel in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley province on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
“The NPA’s harassment of a military patrol base on Dec. 25, and attempted abduction of CAA (militia) member on Dec. 26 are clear violations of their own declaration,” AFP spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said.
He noted that these unprovoked attacks showed the NPA’s “duplicity and deception”, as it says one thing while doing the opposite.
Last week, the NPA declared its own ceasefire, mirroring the one issued by the AFP, which began 6 p.
m. on Dec. 23 and ended 6 p.m. on Dec. 26 and will start again 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 and will end 6 p.m. on January 2.
“Such treacherous attacks are expected of the NPA despite their ceasefire declaration since they have, for the longest time, lost their ideological mooring and resorted to actions reflective of a terrorist organization,” Arevalo stressed.
Despite the NPA attacks, the military will remain faithful to the government’s Yuletide ceasefire and will remain on active defense, the AFP spokesperson said.
“Our units and troops on the ground will remain ready to respond to any violent threat or attack that may be perpetrated by the NPA against our people and vulnerable communities,” he said.