MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be on full alert after communist rebels ended their ceasefire with the government amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Hindi na talaga maitatago ng mga teroristang komunista na hindi ang kapakanan ng taumbayan ang hangad nila kung hindi ang pagpatay sa mga kapwa-Pilipino, ang patuloy na pananabotahe sa kapayapaan at sa pag-usbong ng ating bansa,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.
(The communist forces cannot hide the fact that they are not thinking of the welfare of our countrymen but are bent on killing our fellow Filipinos, disturbing the peace and progress of our country.)
“Mantakin niyong sa bigat ng kinakaharap ng bansa dahil sa COVID-19 ay mas pinipili pa ng mga Komunista na isabay ang kanilang walang puwang na panggugulo’t pakikipagbakbakan sa mga sundalo’t pulis. Government forces should be 100 percent focused to humanitarian efforts at this time and yet we now have to face the violence of these communist terrorists,” he said.
(As the country continues to face COVID-19 crisis, communists would rather start a war with the police and military)
On Thursday, the Communist Party of the Philippines said its ceasefire order for the New People’s Army will end.