Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
18 August 2006
CPP DENOUNCES 901st IB FOR TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF NPA UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE IN MAYON
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) spokesperson Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal denounced the 9th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army for treacherously taking advantage of the unilateral ceasefire declared by the New People’s Army (NPA) as it launched a military offensive against a unit of the NPA within the 15-kilometer zone around Mayon volcano where the National Democratic Front (NDF)-Bicol has declared a unilateral ceasefire for the duration of the disaster situation there.
Rosal said that an NPA unit operating in Malinao near the northern slope of Mayon volcano in Albay learned of the presence of 9th ID forces in Barangay Sua and decided to avoid an encounter with them in accordance with its policy of desisting from attacking government troops within the CPP-NPA-NDF unilateral ceasefire area. Upon noticing the evasion of the NPA unit, however, Rosal said the 9th ID forces pursued the guerrillas and initiated a firefight. Rosal said that the NPA fighters were compelled to fight back to defend themselves and slip out of the range of the hostile attack as soon as possible. No one on either side suffered casualties.
The CPP spokesman denounced the treachery and hypocrisy of the 9th ID for claiming that its forces are there to support relief and evacuation efforts. Rosal also slammed a statement by 9th Infantry Division spokesman Lt. Col. Serafin Raymundo shamelessly justifying the 9th ID’s treachery. Raymundo said the AFP does not respect the NDF’s unilateral ceasefire and has no intention of responding with a similar ceasefire.
Rosal said that the 9th ID’s actuations are a clear indication that the real objective of its massive deployment in the area is to take advantage of the disaster situation and launch attacks against the NPA and its mass base in the area.
“Malala pa, pineperwisyo ng 9th ID ang relief efforts. Marami kaming natatanggap na ulat na pati mga relief goods ay pinagnanakawan ng mga upisyal ng AFP (Worse, the 9th ID is disrupting relief efforts. We have received several reports that AFP officials have been stealing relief goods),” said Rosal.
Rosal urged the NPA to continue launching tactical offensives outside the 15-kilometer radius of Mayon volcano to punish the most abusive units of the AFP. At the same time, Rosal said that “Even as NPA guerrillas help in relief and evacuation efforts and avoid contact with enemy forces in the disaster and ceasefire area, they should be on the alert and defend themselves against treacherous attacks by those out to take advantage of the disaster situation to launch offensives against the NPA and harass the revolutionary mass base.”
Reference:
Marco Valbuena
Media Officer
Cellphone Numbers: 09179776392 :: 09282242061
E-mail:cppmedia@gmail.com