AFP spokesperson, Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo. (PNA file photo)
MANILA – The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) should show remorse for the atrocities it has committed against the Filipino people through all of its years of existence, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson, Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said Friday.
"They (CPP) might as well add 'remorseful' to their uneventful activity. Their unity of purpose with the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the New People’s Army (NPA) that has caused murder, pillage, arson, and extortion, among other crimes, has brought indescribable pain and misery to our fellow Filipinos. Those are enough reasons for them to seek forgiveness from our people who now have largely rejected them," Arevalo said in a message to reporters in response to CPP pronouncements that it will be celebrating its 52nd founding anniversary in "simple but joyous" means on December 26.
He added that the big number of CPP central committee members and NPA members and supporters who have surrendered or were arrested or killed when they shoot it out with security forces should already give them "clear signals" that the communist-terrorists have nothing to celebrate.
"The AFP under the clear directions and leadership of Gen. Gilbert Gapay will continue with our unrelenting operations until we have finished this communist-terrorist group (CTG) before the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term," Arevalo said.
The backing of local chief executives and agencies in local governments and the strong support of the people in the communities and villages make military operations immensely successful, he said, adding that this contributes strongly to the decline and defeat of the communist terrorists.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana noted that despite its 52nd year of existence, the CPP has not come close to achieving its aims of toppling the country's democratic form of government.
"In those five decades, the CPP-NPA never came close to achieving its goal and has instead left a trail of death and destruction all over the country that continues to this day — killings of civilians and government troops, recruitment of young kids to their ranks, destruction of properties, and massive extortion of businesses," Lorenzana said in a statement.
He also said the communist-terrorists have no reason to celebrate and instead should be ashamed of all the violent acts they have committed against Filipinos.
"To this day, the CPP-NPA continues to champion a discredited and bankrupt ideology that has long been eschewed by former communist countries," he added.
He said it is not too late for the CPP-NPA to abandon their armed struggle because they would never succeed as the Filipino people are not swayed by their propaganda and rhetoric.
"If you, the CPP-NPA, are truly fighting for and are with the Filipino people, I urge you to abandon your destructive ideologies and peacefully work with the government," he added.
Urging all Filipinos to continue denouncing the CPP-NPA, he said it is time for the long-running insurgency to end.
“It is time for the nation to come together and move forward as one," Lorenzana said. (PNA)
