AFP spokesperson, Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo. (File photo)
MANILA – The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) has only shown its terroristic nature by announcing its deployment of partisan units also known as "liquidation squads" in the urban areas to go after people against its organization.
"They are only clearly out to terrorize our fellow Filipinos by declaring that they are deploying partisan units. Their use of the term is very misleading as to their goal, which they are hiding under the word partisan unit, is to conduct assassination, murder or extrajudicial killing of government officials and noncombatant civilians that they consider having committed sins against their movement," AFP spokesperson, Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in Filipino in a "Laging Handa" briefing on Tuesday.
He added that this pronouncement of the CPP-NPA only shows that the terrorist group designation issued against them by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) is true.
"What they are doing (declaration of partisan unit deployment) is a terrorism act against our countrymen," Arevalo said.
He also called such pronouncement a "desperate measure or attempt" to show that it is still a force to be reckoned with.
"The AFP under Gen. Gilbert Gapay is warning these communist terrorists not to go ahead with their plans (involving partisan units) either to create fear and or use it for their terrorist act. And if they are committed to doing these terrorist acts, the AFP is here and ready to protect the Filipino public," Arevalo said.
Arevalo added that the CPP-NPA's move to use partisan units against groups or persons not directly involved in combat operations against it is also a violation of the "Laws of Armed Conflict" or also known as International Humanitarian Law.
Asked on whether the AFP knows the targets of CPP-NPA partisan units, Arevalo said they have information saying these consists of government security forces, officials of the government and government agencies and instrumentalities, and civilians not involved in hostilities like businessmen who refused to give to their extortion demands or revolutionary taxation.
While the AFP is ready to respond to these threats, Arevalo is requesting the public for their cooperation in reporting to nearby military and police suspicious-looking persons suddenly appearing in their communities to prevent these communist terrorists from carrying out their atrocities.
Arevalo, however, said their intelligence community has yet to detect any movement of these groups.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
