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PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
"Do not tresspass into CPP/NPA/NDF territories"- Ka Roger
December 13, 2002
The spokesman of the Communist Party of the Philippines today called on the AFP not to "trespass" into the guerrilla zones to avoid clashes this Christmas season.
In a statement, CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal also branded as "senseless" Gen. Eduardo Ermita's proposal that in the absence of a holiday truce, the New People's Army and the military and police could confine themselves to their respective camps this Christmas to avoid clashes.
Rosal said that based on their experience, "the AFP/PNP relentlessly conduct operations and go on a rampage against the people, whether it is Christmas, Holy Week or any other day." He said that Ermita's proposal will come to nothing because the AFP and PNP will "definitely conduct attacks without letup this Christmas season, even if they declare that they would confine themselves to their barracks."
Rosal also blasted the AFP's plan to conduct patrol operations in suspected NPA territories. "These so-called 'preventive patrols' are in fact offensive military operations which include searching people's homes", the CPP spokesperson said.
Rosal futher slammed Ermita's proposal for suggesting that the NPA is no different from the AFP. Unlike the "mercenary AFP," Rosal said, the NPA is a "true people's army" that sustains itself by living among and working hand-in-hand with the people. Rosal said that the NPA's revolutionary activities are all conducted among the people. In contrast, the AFP and PNP, he said, "are isolated from the people, stay in their camps and go out only to conduct operations." He said that Ermita's proposal is tantamount to asking the NPA to stop being a people's army and to leave the people defenseless in the face of relentless military attacks.
Rosal said that if the AFP and PNP really want to avoid clashes during the Christmas holidays, "it should not trespass into any of the CPP/NPA/NDF's more than a hundred guerrilla fronts scattered nationwide and refrain from interfering with the NPA's integration with the people." ###
Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553
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