Major General Antonio Parlade, Jr., Armed Forces of the Phili[pines Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military Operations (PNA File photo)
A ranking official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said the communist rebels revealed their ruthless form by conducting attacks against military and police personnel in clear violation of the recently ceasefire agreed upon by the government and their political leaders.
Adding insult to injury is that these attacks were carried out when the truce was only starting, AFP Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military Operations, Major General Antonio Parlade, Jr., said in a statement to the Philippine News Agency.
"Only a few hours after the declaration of ceasefire by the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines), the NPAs attacked the Army in an ambush-land mine in Labo, Camarines Norte, and the police in Iloilo," he added.
The truce took effect around 12 a.m. of December 23 and will end at 11:59 p.m. of January 7 next year.
Parlade said these unprovoked attacks, which in itself are horrible violations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA of the truce agreement, was further made worse by the communist rebels' use of land mines which are clear violations of international conventions as well.
He also scored the leadership of the CPP-NPA for alleging that the purported attacks on military and police units were based on news reports which is short of saying that the military and police could be engaging in propaganda.
"In a statement, (Luis) Jalandoni (NDF senior adviser) has the gall to say that the reports were just based on news reports? Is he insinuating that the AFP and PNP (Philippine National Police) could just be propagandizing, and staging a fake attack? After a soldier was killed and scores wounded from the Army and PNP?" Parlade said. "Is he adding insult to injury by trying to ignite the sentiments of soldiers and policemen whom we know are not agreeable to peace talks, but are nonetheless, supportive of the decision of the Commander-in-Chief?"
Despite the series of attacks by communist rebels, he said Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate is still to issue any statement condemning these violations of the ceasefire agreement.
He said he finds this disturbing as the lawmaker was quick to allege that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) is full of "saboteurs" and "that security officials are spoilers of peace?"
"Clearly now who are the saboteurs here? To those who have been red-tagged by 'Joma' (CPP founding chair Jose Maria Sison) and the CPP what can we say about these attacks? Where is Bayan's Renato Reyes who had a lot to say about the peace talks?" he added.
With these treacherous attacks by the CPP-NPA, families of soldiers and policemen are mourning and spending Christmas in the morgue and hospital, Parlade added.
"It has happened before but this is the price of the government's genuine pursuit for peace," he said.
While the lives of these poor soldiers can never be brought back, he said Bayan and the Makabayan bloc, which are all reportedly affiliated to the CPP-NDF, can start demonstrating goodwill by condemning this barbaric act of the NPA terrorists.
"Let us all contribute to paving the way for genuine peace. This treachery and the undefiant stance of Kamatayan (Makabayan) bloc to denounce violence only serve to cast doubt on the NDFP's agenda for seeking a truce. Cui bono? (to whom it is a benefit)," he said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1089467
Adding insult to injury is that these attacks were carried out when the truce was only starting, AFP Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military Operations, Major General Antonio Parlade, Jr., said in a statement to the Philippine News Agency.
"Only a few hours after the declaration of ceasefire by the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines), the NPAs attacked the Army in an ambush-land mine in Labo, Camarines Norte, and the police in Iloilo," he added.
The truce took effect around 12 a.m. of December 23 and will end at 11:59 p.m. of January 7 next year.
Parlade said these unprovoked attacks, which in itself are horrible violations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA of the truce agreement, was further made worse by the communist rebels' use of land mines which are clear violations of international conventions as well.
He also scored the leadership of the CPP-NPA for alleging that the purported attacks on military and police units were based on news reports which is short of saying that the military and police could be engaging in propaganda.
"In a statement, (Luis) Jalandoni (NDF senior adviser) has the gall to say that the reports were just based on news reports? Is he insinuating that the AFP and PNP (Philippine National Police) could just be propagandizing, and staging a fake attack? After a soldier was killed and scores wounded from the Army and PNP?" Parlade said. "Is he adding insult to injury by trying to ignite the sentiments of soldiers and policemen whom we know are not agreeable to peace talks, but are nonetheless, supportive of the decision of the Commander-in-Chief?"
Despite the series of attacks by communist rebels, he said Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate is still to issue any statement condemning these violations of the ceasefire agreement.
He said he finds this disturbing as the lawmaker was quick to allege that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) is full of "saboteurs" and "that security officials are spoilers of peace?"
"Clearly now who are the saboteurs here? To those who have been red-tagged by 'Joma' (CPP founding chair Jose Maria Sison) and the CPP what can we say about these attacks? Where is Bayan's Renato Reyes who had a lot to say about the peace talks?" he added.
With these treacherous attacks by the CPP-NPA, families of soldiers and policemen are mourning and spending Christmas in the morgue and hospital, Parlade added.
"It has happened before but this is the price of the government's genuine pursuit for peace," he said.
While the lives of these poor soldiers can never be brought back, he said Bayan and the Makabayan bloc, which are all reportedly affiliated to the CPP-NDF, can start demonstrating goodwill by condemning this barbaric act of the NPA terrorists.
"Let us all contribute to paving the way for genuine peace. This treachery and the undefiant stance of Kamatayan (Makabayan) bloc to denounce violence only serve to cast doubt on the NDFP's agenda for seeking a truce. Cui bono? (to whom it is a benefit)," he said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1089467
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