Expect “more frequent and more intensified tactical offensives” against the government if President Rodrigo Duterte won’t withdraw his plan to officially categorize the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA) as terrorists, the National Democratic Front warned.
The president has announced that an executive order is being prepared to declare the NPA as a terrorist group.
The NDF spokesman Joaquin Jacinto said that looking at the 50 years they struggled against the government, they have never acted as terrorists because what they are doing is advocating and defending the interests of exploited and oppressed Filipinos.
“Thus, under whatever circumstance, the CPP-NPA-NDF can never ever be terrorists. Thus, the NDF-Mindanao calls on the New People’s Army to launch more frequent and more intensified tactical offensives to frustrate military operations that only bring more death, destruction, and misery to the people of Mindanao,” Jacinto said.
Jacinto said that “launching widespread and more frequent tactical offensives against the AFP, PNP (Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police) and paramilitary troops” is only just and correct because what they are doing is “ravaging numerous hinterland communities in Mindanao”.
Meanwhile, last Wednesday Duterte has ordered security forces to shoot communist rebels bearing firearms.
Jacinto said that Duterte is wrong in thinking that his threats will throw fear in the communist rebels.
He also undermined Duterte’s goal to clear out the CPP-NPA-NDF by the end of 2018, saying the President is daydreaming as this will not happen.
(DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 12/ 02/ 17)