Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo. (PNA file photo)
MANILA – Three communist-initiated attacks were reported in the provinces of Iloilo, Quezon and Camarines Norte on the first day of the holiday ceasefire between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army- National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson (AFP), Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, said the AFP is considering as "possible violations" of the ceasefire declared by President Rodrigo Duterte and the rebel group the series of attacks conducted by communist rebels against security forces in Tagkawayan, Quezon; Labo, Camarines Norte; and Tubunga, Iloilo; on Monday.
A soldier was killed and six others were wounded in the attack in Camarines Norte, two cops were wounded in Iloilo, while no government troop was hurt in Quezon. All three attacks were staged at past 9 a.m., Arevalo said.
"These (possible ceasefire violations) show that the leadership of the CPP-NPA-NDF does not have any control over their people," he said.
He added that while combat operations are suspended for the duration of the truce, patrol operations will continue to ensure that communities are safe from all threats.
The ceasefire is effective from 12 a.m. of December 23, 2019 until 11:59 p.m. of January 7, 2020.
The rebel atrocity in Camarines Norte was staged in a remote village of Labo town.
Army Maj. Ricky Aguilar, 9th Infantry Division (9ID) public affairs chief, said a platoon of Army soldiers on combat patrol was pulling out of Barangay Baay when attacked by an undetermined number of NPA members.
Rebels planted and detonated an improvised explosive device on the path where the soldiers would pass and subsequently fired upon them, killing a soldier and wounding six others.
A brief firefight ensued, prompting the rebels to flee and seek refuge in neighboring hinterland villages.
Maj. Gen. Fernando Trinidad, commander of Joint Task Force Bicolandia (JTFB) condemned the attack as a treacherous act of the communist rebels and a violation of the ceasefire.
Trinidad, in a press statement, expressed his strong disappointment with the rebel group's defiance of the truce, which aims to give Filipinos a peaceful way to celebrate the Yuletide season.
This action is a clear manifestation of their deceptive and ill motives as well as their use of terror and violence, which, for so long a time, has hampered the government's campaign to attain sustainable peace and development, he added.
Meanwhile, in the Iloilo attack, members of the Iloilo 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (1st PMFC) were waylaid by rebels at the boundary of the Male and Singon villages in Tubungan town.
The rebels used anti-personnel mines in the attack, damaging the patrol car of the 1st PMFC and inflicting minor injuries to two company members, a police report said.
Brig. Gen. Rene Pamuspusan, director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6), in an interview, said the policemen were on their way back to headquarters following the suspension of police operations.
“Because of the ceasefire agreement, we recalled our troops and ceased to conduct combat operations already. We called our troops last night and they just waited for the daylight to withdraw to avoid such incidence but it was unfortunate that the enemies took advantage of our withdrawal and did this very condemnable action against our troops,” Pamuspusan said.
Despite this, he said the PRO-6 will still uphold the ceasefire agreement as directed by the police headquarters.
“We will still honor the ceasefire agreement as directed by the national headquarters but the instruction now to the lower units is we should be more vigilant in our movement, troop movement and of course in the defense of our vital installations such as our camps and our municipal police stations,” Pamuspusan said.
The police will assess the situation and will “do the necessary adjustment in our defensive preparation and stance,” he said.
Pamuspusan also assured that the police will investigate the incident and will file necessary charges against those who initiated the ambush.
The CPP Central Committee also declared a truce as the government declared a suspension of military and police operations.
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. (PNA)
