The CPP has authorized the NPA to mount tactical offensives against the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.*
The New People’s Army cannot launch tactical offensives in Negros Occidental because their capabilities have been greatly reduced, and they are now on the run, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said Monday, December 19.
There will be no letup in the Philippine Army’s operations against the dwindling rebel forces in Negros so they will have no opportunity to regroup, he said.
The Army is ensuring that there will be a peaceful yuletide season for the people of Negros, Pasaporte said.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Monday announced that it is not declaring a ceasefire this holiday season as it sees no reason to do so.
The Central Committee, in its statement, said it is ordering all units of the NPA not to lower their defenses during the holidays.
The CPP also authorized the NPA to mount tactical offensives against “isolated, weak and tired units” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, it said.
CPP founding chair Jose Maria “Joma” Sison, 83, died in the Netherlands on Friday, ten days before the 54th founding anniversary of the party on December 26.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is hoping the new leader of the CPP “will be really open to the peace process, will not be a hardliner, will not consider the armed struggle as the only option”.
“We’re just hoping this will be a reason to really give peace a chance,” he said.
The governor said as far as the Army is concerned the NPA North Negros Front has been dismantled and the force of the Communist terrorist group is really dwindling, and were hoping it will continue, he said.*