CPP nothing to be proud of after 50 years – AFP exec

LUCENA CITY – The top official of the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) scoffed at the Maoist-inspired insurgents and said the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has nothing to be proud of after 50 years of rebellion.

“As far as we, patriotic peace-loving Filipinos, are concerned, the CPP-NPA has nothing good and no achievement to be proud of,” Lt. General Danilo Pamonag, Solcom commander, said in a statement.

The CPP celebrates its 50th founding anniversary on Tuesday.

He said the government forces continues to monitor the activities of the CPP and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

“We are ready to meet them anywhere and at any time,” Pamonag stressed.

He vowed that the state security forces and other concerned government agencies would continue to serve the people, and maintain peace and order in the communities.

Pamonag said: “The threat of heightened atrocities marks another year of violence and manifests their nature as a terror group that works to undermine the Filipinos’ democratic way of life, disrupt national development by damaging public and private properties–all for the whims and caprices of their terrorist leaders at the expense and inconvenience of the Filipino people.”

Malacañang stood pat on its decision not to declare a holiday truce with the communist insurgents, the first time in 30 years that the traditional temporary cessation of hostilities between the government and the insurgents had not been observed.

President Duterte and state security officials argued that ceasefire with the communist guerrillas would only be futile because the rebels continue to attack government forces.

The CPP ordered the NPA to observe truce that took effect at midnight of Dec. 24 to end midnight of Dec. 26.

Another truce would take effect at midnight of Dec. 31 and end at midnight of Jan. 1 next year.

The CPP said the NPA would heed a holiday truce declared by their leaders despite an order for them to intensify attacks against government targets in retaliation to the extension of martial law in Mindanao.

Pamonag reiterated their call to the NPA rebels to abandon the armed struggle and return to the fold of the law.

“Our offer for peace is open to all who wish to take this opportunity to abandon the violence perpetrated by the CPP-NPA and embrace a life of peace and prosperity.”

He gave the mobile phone number 09562085598 for the rebels who want to surrender to call.

“This number is open at all times for you,” he said./lb