CPP congratulates NPA for string of armed victories the past two weeks

November 21, 2005

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today congratulated the New People's Army (NPA) for the string of successful tactical offensives in Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Batangas, Camarines Sur, Panay, Bukidnon and Davao del Sur during the past two weeks.

CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said the successful tactical offensives serve as eloquent testimony to the widespread support of the masses for the NPA and the revolutionary armed struggle. "The Filipino people celebrate the NPA's string of victories over the detested fascist and mercenary armed troops of the Arroyo regime," Rosal said.

He encouraged more units of the NPA to also step up their tactical offensives and deal body and head blows against the illegitimate, lying, corrupt, brutal and intransigent Arroyo puppet regime.

Citing field reports, Rosal said the NPA was able to seize at least 25 assorted firearms from soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) the past two weeks. Rosal said a total of 15 enemy troopers were killed while 32 others were wounded. At least one soldier and one policeman surrendered, both of whom were later released unharmed by the NPA.

Only one NPA fighter was slightly wounded in these armed encounters with the enemy.

Rosal also pointed out that the successful tactical offensives of the NPA across several provinces within a short period of time "clearly show the growing armed strength and wide mass support of the NPA." The ability of the NPA to launch simultaneous or successive tactical offensives in different parts of the country has induced the overstretching and thus the piecemeal weakening of the AFP.

"A thinly stretched AFP opens up further opportunities for the NPA to strike at its weakest and most vulnerable points," said Rosal.

Rosal said the solid victories of the NPA in battles against the AFP helps to accelerate the advance of the revolutionary armed struggle towards the higher substage of the strategic defensive and contributes materially to the overall weakening and the eventual downfall of the Arroyo regime.

Meanwhile, responding to the AFP's statement that the NPA's use of land mines against the AFP is a supposed violation of international rules of war, Rosal said that "Obviously, these AFP officials are completely ignorant of international conventions. What is prohibited is the use of victim-triggered landmines. There are no prohibitions against command-detonated landmines which the NPA uses as a precision and responsible weapon against military targets."

"It is the height of hypocrisy for the AFP to denounce the use of legitimate command-detonated landmines. The AFP seeks only to cover up its criminal use of more powerful and destructive weapons such as aerial and howitzer bombs as well as plane and helicopter straffings which they indiscriminately and callously discharge near and even directly against civilian communities," Rosal said, citing the recent bombings of communities in Sulu, Aurora and the Samar provinces which have displaced at least 5,000 peasant families.

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553

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