NPA’s termination of unilateral ceasefire is unfortunate -- PNP

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 1): NPA’s termination of unilateral ceasefire is unfortunate -- PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday termed as unfortunate the termination made by the New People’s Army (NPA) of its unilateral ceasefire.

”It is unfortunate that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its military arm, the NPA, had terminated the unilateral ceasefire it declared last year,” said PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief and spokesman Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos in a statement.

Carlos said that despite this development and its possible implications to internal security, the PNP will continue to observe a suspension of offensive police operations (SOPO) to honor the Philippine government’s own declaration of a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP/NPA/NDF (National Democratic Front).

The PNP official said that with a SOPO notwithstanding, the National Headquarters has alerted all PNP units to remain vigilant and to maintain a high state of operational readiness to respond to hostile actions by domestic threat groups.

”Specifically, PNP units will be on alert for possible movement of armed CPP/NPA members who will take advantage of the SOPO to reposition and regroup; and to engage in unlawful activities,” Carlos said.

He noted it must be understood that this SOPO does not cover normal law enforcement operations and shall be implemented without prejudice to actions aimed at protecting the people and the communities, as well as PNP troops and installations against insurgent or terrorist attacks that may take place during the SOPO period.

”As such, normal police function such as service of warrants of arrest, checkpoint operations, and other routine security measures will continue without let-up,” Carlos said.

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