More raids, ambuscades expected as NPA steps up 'protracted war' on 44th anniversary

From InterAksyon (Mar 29): More raids, ambuscades expected as NPA steps up 'protracted war' on 44th anniversary

Communist rebels have vowed tocontinue their fight through a "protracted" war, including stepped-up raids and sniping in order to obtain more arms, as they marked their 44th anniversary on Good Friday.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) directed its armed front, the New People's Army (NPA), to "intensify thetactical offensives in order to defeat Oplan Bayanihan of the US-Aquino regime."

The CPP said the NPA should continue the so-called people's democratic revolution by going to the countryside and launching offensives against the military. It said the NPA should also recruit more
members, in hopes of creating "brigade strength" fighters of "2-3platoons."

The CPP is confident that, “with raised level of strength, planning, coordination and
maneuverability of the NPA, it can wage rapid tactical offensives."

The NPA was directed to carry out ambuscades and raids ofmilitary and police detachments and private security guards to gain more arms for its fighters.

It said laying "mines" and sniping should be employed to "inflict serious damage on the enemy."

Early Friday morning, the NPA was blamed for launching an attack as thousands of devotees conducted the traditional Holy Week rite of the Stations of the Cross in Butuan City.
Two militiamen were reported killed.

The CPP said the NPA's offensives were targeted against the military's Internal Peace and Security Plan Bayanihan, vowing to engage in "tit-for-tat propaganda struggle."

Aside from fighting, the CPP also urged the NPA to employ political work by going around and forming mass organizations of workers, peasants, youth, women and children, among others.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) earlier announced that the NPA has been losing support with a reported 367 surrenderees in 2012.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58239/more-raids-ambuscades-expected-as-npa-steps-up-protracted-war-on-44th-anniversary