Joma Sison praises NPA's deadly attack vs. soldiers in Eastern Samar

From GMA News Online (Nov 13, 2019): Joma Sison praises NPA's deadly attack vs. soldiers in Eastern Samar

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison on Wednesday lauded the New People’s Army (NPA) for a “successful tactical offensive” against soldiers during a clash in Eastern Samar on Tuesday.

The encounter between the NPAs and the 14th Infantry Battalion resulted in the death of six soldiers and one rebel.

“I salute and congratulate the Red commanders and fighters that carried put the successful tactical offensive in Samar,” he said in a statement.

“It is a sharp and resounding response to the repeated lie of the AFP and PNP that they have already destroyed the NPA by either by killing or making the NPA personnel surrender,” he added.

In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it is no longer surprised with Sison's praises for the rebels who took part in the encounter.

AFP spokesman Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said Sison's act of lauding the "abominable act" of NPA only shows the self-exiled leader's unity with the communist rebels.

"It’s not surprising at all that he relishes in death and destruction. He was himself indicted for multiple murder and warrants of arrest were issued therefor for his involvement in the Inopacan massacre," Arevalo said.

More tactical offensives

The communist leader projected that the NPA will be launching more tactical offensives.

Sison noted to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) that the use of command-detonated explosives is legitimate and allowed by the Ottawa Treaty and GRP-NDFP Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human rights and International Humanitarian Law.

He claimed that it was the AFP who actually used weapons of mass destruction allgedly against the lives and properties of the civilians like aerial bombs, mortars and artillery fire.

An initial information indicated that members of the 14th Infantry Battalion had a 30-minute firefight with more or less 50 communist rebels in Barangay Pinana-an.

Authorities said six improvised explosive device had exploded prior to the encounter.

Arevalo assured the public that the military would not be cowered by the encounter.

"We will press on with our pursuit to eliminate the communist terrorist group before the end of the Duterte administration," Arevalo said.

"This cowardly attack by these enemies of peace and development hardly establishes any point of strength. But rather weakness in attacking through anti-personnel mines soldiers out to aid our people needing help," he added.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/715333/joma-sison-praises-npa-s-deadly-attack-vs-soldiers-in-eastern-samar/story/