MANILA, Philippines — Plots to assassinate government officials leading the war against insurgency are no longer new, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.
“Hindi na bago ang ganitong mga banta sa seguridad ng ating matataas na pinuno lalo pa’t paparating na naman ang founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (This kind of security threat against high-ranking leaders is not new, especially since the founding anniversary of the CPP is approaching),” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said.
Maj. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, earlier revealed that the CPP has launched a plot to assassinate officials leading the government’s counter-insurgency program, including Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., and National Commission on Indigenous People’s chairman Allen Capuyan.
The CPP will celebrate its 51st founding anniversary on December 26.
In previous years, it has launched major offensives against state forces in the days surrounding the occasion.
Banac said there will be no adjustments to security measures being implemented by the PNP amid the death threats.
He assured that the security detail of officials in the list are prepared for any attacks.
Aside from the three officials, Parlade said he himself and five former communist leaders helping the Duterte administration in its campaign against insurgency are also on the hit list.
He said the list is part of “Oplan Hades”, a CPP initiative against counter-revolutionaries.