CPP leaders can’t control their people, says military

From Malaya (Aug 3): CPP leaders can’t control their people, says military

THE Armed Forces yesterday told communist leaders to stop blaming the military for the government’s short-lived ceasefire.

President Duterte announced the unilateral ceasefire on July 25 and recalled it on July 30, two days after the New People’s Army ambushed government troops in Davao del Norte.

The military has said the ambush soldiers were returning to base after they were pulled out of combat operations in compliance with the ceasefire declaration.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, chief of the AFP public affairs office, said government troops complied with the ceasefire, contrary to the allegation of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines that the truce was not implemented by frontline military units.

“That is utterly false and misleading. We are issuing this statement because doubt is cast on the credibility of the AFP to implement lawful orders. And we have on record pull-out of AFP units from combat operations,” said Arevalo.

Among those who have claimed the military did not comply with the government ceasefire were NDFP chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni and CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison.

 “The AFP, as a highly hierarchical and cohesive organization under the command of the chief of staff, has full control over all its subordinate unit commanders who follow instructions and directives to the letter. Hence, it is pure conjecture to allege otherwise,” said Arevalo.

Arevalo said Armed Forces chief Gen. Ricardo Visaya issued a ceasefire directive to troops on the evening of July 25, shortly after Duterte announced the truce during his State of the Nation Address.

Arevalo said Visaya’s directive was thereafter “communicated to all units in the field forthwith through all available means of communications including radio.”

Arevalo said the directive of the AFP chief led to the pullout of some units from combat zones.

“The CNN (Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front) should not pin the blame on the AFP for the resumption of combat operations against them or resort to squid tactics to cover their inability to manifest good faith or perform unequivocal acts for the ceasefire to prosper,” said Arevalo.

“We believe that if such failure is not an issue of sincerity, then it is an issue of their inability or loss of control of the NPA units in the frontline that attacks and ambuscades were perpetrated against AFP personnel complying with the SOMO (suspension of offensive military operations),” said Arevalo.

Arevalo said the communists “had to twist the story because they cannot afford the embarrassment of not being able to control their people on the ground unlike the control that the AFP has over its troops in the farthest deployment.”

“These notwithstanding, the AFP firmly believes in the primacy of peace, unequivocally supports the commander-in-chief in his peace and development initiatives; and will abide by his instructions.”
 

NPA BOMB

In Davao del Sur Monday, a civilian foiled a planned bombing by the NPA in Sta. Cruz town.

The civilian reported to the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion the location of the improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the NPA near a river where soldiers pass in Barangay Sinoron, said Maj. Rhyan Batchar, 10th ID public affairs officer.

“The eight-kilogram IED was reportedly planted by NPAs under Guerilla Front 51 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee,” said Batchar.

Batchar said the bomb was pre-positioned by the rebels for potential attack against government troops.

“The style of the NPA is there is they will plant the bomb prior (to movement of troops). They are going to detonate that once they sense presence of troops,” he said.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/cpp-leaders-can%E2%80%99t-control-their-people-says-military