MANILA – A ranking official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Saturday the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) must be hallucinating when it called upon the New People's Army (NPA) to intensify its attacks against government security forces.
Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson, said the entire military is puzzled by the communist rebels’ temerity, considering the massive losses the insurgents have suffered in the past months.
"With the outpour of surrenders both in terms of manpower and firearms and the number of communist terrorists neutralized, we wonder where this Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) is drawing the nerve to make such a declaration," Arevalo said in a statement.
He said the CPP-NPA has always been trying to attack and defeat security troops but has dismally failed every time.
Arevalo added that the communist terrorists only succeed when they attack unarmed AFP personnel who were deployed to help fellow Filipinos in times of disasters, calamities, or during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
"No wonder, our people have been fighting back or reporting the communist terrorists’ presence in the communities they pester. And those vital information given to the AFP (have) resulted (in) the enemy annihilation, arrest, or seizure of their arms cache," he said.
Arevalo said the military is bewildered by the term "Filipino people" who are supposedly “clamoring for justice” being referred to by the communist terrorists.
"The last time we checked, the Filipino people – especially the rural folks and the indigenous people they murder, rape, and rob – have strongly rejected them. And if ever there are people clamoring for justice, it is against the CTG for the many atrocities and abuses they commit against our hapless people," he said.
Arevalo said the AFP is one with the Filipino people in their desire to end the more than 50 years of lies and deception that caused them numerous deaths, destructions, and sufferings.
"We will not fail our people," he said.
Meanwhile, Arevalo said the AFP joins the nation in the continuing fight against terrorism.
He made the statement as the country observes the third anniversary of the Liberation of Marawi City.
"This is highlighted by the tragic beginning and end of the Siege of Marawi that we commemorate today," Arevalo said.
The Battle for Marawi City started on May 23, 2017, when Islamic State-inspired and Abu Sayyaf terrorists attacked the area.
In the five-month battle that ensued, about 1,000 terrorists were killed, along with more than 170 government troops.
"The Marawi crisis reminds us that the vigorous campaign should not be focused only on combatting terrorism but more importantly on preventing the menace from invading our communities and cities," he said.
Arevalo said the AFP’s Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) campaign, which came to the fore after the liberation of Marawi, looks into sectors vulnerable to radicalism and violent extremism, such as orphanages, schools, and evacuation centers.
"The AFP works with other agencies of government, like DepEd (Department of Education), DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), and LGUs (local government units) to name a few, to empower and capacitate the administrators of these facilities to ward off terrorists from encroaching into their domains," he added.
Arevalo also said these strong partnerships and collaborations have proven to be an effective deterrent against attempts by some individuals or groups with links to terrorist groups to radicalize and recruit members from those facilities. (PNA)
