AFP continues ‘aggressive’ moves –CPP
August 27, 2016

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) yesterday criticized the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for “continuing to make aggressive moves in and around the areas of operations of the NPA (New People’s Army),” despite a unilateral ceasefire order by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement after the successful first round of formal talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the CPP said that the NPA has “strictly complied” with their own 7-day unilateral ceasefire and will issue an extension shortly, in light of the “positive developments” in the peace negotiations.

“We are also encouraged by the statements of Duterte encouraging soldiers and police to be friendly with the revolutionary forces,” said the CPP.

It further announced that the NPA is set to release at least seven prisoners-of-war (POWs) in Surigao and Compostela Valley. Yesterday, two police officers POW allegedly involved in drug operations were released by the NPA in Davao Oriental, facilitated by Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

Curfew, questioning civilians

However, the CPP pointed out that the AFP continues to be present in barangay centers, barangay halls, community schools and day care centers, and senior citizen centers. Rural communities are allegedly being used by the AFP as a base to launch operations into interior areas where NPA units are based.

“Over the past week, NPA units across the country have reported that they were forced to carry out lateral and counter-encirclement maneuvers to avoid skirmishes with active and aggressive units of the AFP,” said the CPP.

“If the AFP will insist on maintaining its presence in communities and launching aggressive operations into the interior areas, armed skirmishes are bound to erupt despite the NPA’s effort to maintain the ceasefire,” it added.

The CPP reported that AFP units have maintained their presence in civilian communities in Kalinga, Isabela, Abra, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Negros Occidental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon and Compostela Valley.

It also said that the soldiers’ presence restrict the “people’s right to free movement” through an imposition of curfew or questioning by soldiers.

“Community leaders, especially those active in struggles for land and against mining, are being summoned by the AFP,” the CPP said.

The presence of soldiers also allegedly hampers economic activity because farmers become afraid to go out in their fields. “When [asked by residents], field commanders invariably justify their presence with claims of ‘peace and development’, ‘anti-drug’, ‘anti-logging’ and ‘visitations’,” the communist party said.

‘Ground rules needed’

The CPP said that for the unilateral ceasefires of both sides to persist, the negotiating panels of the GPH and NDFP need to “establish more explicit ground rules and systems of monitoring and reporting.”

In their Joint Statement at the recently concluded talks, the GPH and NDF agreed to “reconcile and develop their separate unilateral ceasefire orders into a single unified bilateral document within 60 days.” The next round of formal peace negotiations is scheduled on the second week of October.

Meanwhile, in a separate report by Bicol Today, civilian residents of Brgy. Catanusan, Juban, Sorsogon complained of harassment by members of the 31st Infantry Battalion (IB) of Philippine Army, despite Duterte’s ceasefire order. Human rights group Karapatan noted similar incidents in five other towns in Sorsogon and in Ragay, Camarines Sur.

Bulatlat.com also reported that while formal peace negotiations were ongoing, military operations intensified in Nueva Vizcaya and Ifugao, citing a statement by the NPA-Ifugao command.

The said NPA command estimated that “10 columns of the 54th IB” were operating in the towns of Asipulo and Tinoc in Ifugao and in Ambagio in Nueva Vizcaya, and blamed “rabid anti-communists” within the ranks of the AFP who are “insubordinate” to Duterte and “subservient” to the US government.

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