NDF/NPA: GRP ceasefire non-existent in Southern Mindanao

New People's Army propaganda statement posted to the National Democratic Front Website (Jul 30):  GRP ceasefire non-existent in Southern Mindanao

Press release | by RIGOBERTO F. SANCHEZ, New People’s Army Spokesperson, Regional Operations Command, Southern Mindanao Region

The New People’s Army Regional Operations Command avers that there is no conspicuous and veritable unilateral ceasefire exercised by AFP, PNP and paramilitary troops in Southern Mindanao, five days after its Commander In Chief, GRP Pres. Rodrigo Duterte proclaimed such an order in his State of the Nation Address on July 25.

While the NPA-SMROC is ready, willing and able to reciprocate the unilateral ceasefire in accordance to the parameters, guidelines and rules to be set by the national leadership of the NPA, CPP, and NDFP, it cannot be harangued to reciprocate a unilateral ceasefire order that is overtly mocked by the AFP hierarchy and its ground troops and paramilitary forces.

Pending its own unilateral ceasefire declaration, the NPA has placed its troops on active defense mode as a welcome gesture to GRP Pres. Duterte’s unilateral ceasefire declaration. But it cannot surrender its military initiative and diminish the authority of the People’s Democratic Government by placing in jeopardy the lives of the Red Army and the civilian masses in the face of relentless attacks by the fascist enemies of the people.

The NPA and the people’s militia are ready to defend itself from enemy troops who are actively present in almost all villages in Southern Mindanao. These are not troops implementing innocuous “civil-military operations” but are implementing combat operations, surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence, and psychological warfare in civilian communities. These are troops who use communities as garrisons, conduct counter-revolutionary operations, harass and threaten civilians and ensure that their protected illegal activities such as drug trade and logging and mining pay-offs continue unhindered.

In North Cotabato, the 39IB-AFP recently identified 13 barrios in Kidapawan City to be placed under Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) to purge them of “communist-influence” while its troops are currently in clearing operations in Magpet town. On July 27, platoons of the 84thIB were deployed in far-flung communities of Toril, Davao City. In Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, troops of the 2nd Scout Rangers Battalion conducted combat operations on July 29.

The July 27 engagement of Red fighters against members of CAFGU of 72nd IB and the paramilitary Alamara in Kapalong, Davao del Norte only highlighted the unrelenting military operations of AFP troops. Worse still, the fabricated lies they spin to their commander-in-chief and the media to smokescreen their palpable violation demonstrate their outright disdain for the peace process.

The NPA-SMROC urges the current GPH Commander-In-Chief to subject its own troops to a scrutiny of its own operations, deployment, and conduct nationwide to enable the aforesaid unilateral ceasefire order to become effective. Otherwise, it cannot burden the NPA to reciprocate what is turning out to be a spurious unilateral ceasefire.

http://www.ndfp.org/grp-ceasefire-non-existent-southern-mindanao/