Lorenzana to NPA: What are you celebrating on your 49th anniversary?

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 29): Lorenzana to NPA: What are you celebrating on your 49th anniversary?

Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana urged the public to be more vigilant and proactive in securing communities against the treacherous activities of New People’s Army (NPA), with the rebel group expected to show off their “force” after marking its 49th founding anniversary Thursday.

“On March 29, the communist terrorists New People’s Army (NPA) will mark their 49th year of futile, delusional and vicious existence that is a bane to our country’s peace, security and national development,” Lorenzana said.

“As with previous years, the rebels are again expected to show off their so-called “force” by carrying out a string of celebratory attacks, atrocities and criminal acts to hide their dwindling number and degraded strength,” he said.

Lorenzana asked the rebel group what they are celebrating on their anniversary. “You don’t have anything good to show except to kill, extort businessmen and burn properties of those who refuse to pay you. You are the reason why we don’t prosper. You are the ones mentioned by President Duterte why we cannot rise,” he said in the vernacular.
“While the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is on heightened alert to fully protect our people and thwart possible hostilities by the NPA, we enjoin the public to be more vigilant and proactive in securing communities against treacherous activities by New People’s Army (NPA) members such as intimidation, extortion and murder of innocent civilians, burning of private properties and vital installations and conduct of ambuscades against government security forces,” Lorenzana added.

The defense secretary said that in urban areas, communist terrorists commonly intersperse with leftist groups and legal front organizations to conduct lightning rallies, vandalism and disruption of regular activities in schools and workplace, to cause severe traffic congestion and massive disturbance of peace and order.

Lorenzana said as a fellow Filipino, he is calling on all CPP-NPA members to lay down their arms and re-join society.

In the same press statement, he reiterated that it is not too late for communist terrorists to return to the fold of the law and end their violent acts against fellow Filipinos.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/03/29/lorenzana-to-npa-what-are-you-celebrating-on-your-49th-anniversary/