Communist Party mobilizes allies to help ‘Maring’ victims, offers ceasefire

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LUCENA CITY—The Communist Party of the Philippines has ordered the revolutionary forces in calamity areas to help typhoon victims.

The CPP in a statement issued Wednesday evening also left the decision to New People’s Army rebels in storm-ravaged areas in National Capital Region and in the Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon and Northern Luzon regions whether to declare temporary ceasefire for an unhampered delivery of relief goods.

“It is within the prerogative of the leading committees of the CPP in the regions and commands of the NPA to determine the necessity of declaring temporary ceasefires in their respective areas,” the CPP said.

In return, the communist also demanded the temporary cessation of military attacks against NPA rebels.

“The CPP demands that the AFP cease Oplan Bayanihan suppression operations in order to allow local units of the NPA, local branches of the CPP and people’s organizations to carry out relief and rehabilitation efforts,” the CPP said.

The CPP declared that all members and branches of the CPP, as well as all NPA units in affected areas have been instructed to organize and carry out relief and rehabilitation efforts to assist typhoon victims whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed or despoiled in days of rain and floods.

The CPP also urged all its allies and sympathizers to extend support to mass organizations carrying out operations directly in the affected areas.