On April 30, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) declared that it will no longer extend its unilateral ceasefire. “As the Covid-19 pandemc continues to worsen, the CPP and the New People’s Army (NPA) will give highest priority to fight the disease despite Duterte and the AFP’s order to intensify offensives and other military operations against the NPA. However, the CPP can no longer extend the humanitarian ceasefire of the NPA after April 30. This widespread attacks and military operations of the AFP-PNP will only result in worse atrocities against the NPA and the masses,” said the CPP.

From March 16 to April 30, the military and police have continued to conduct intense and sustained counterinsurgency operations in 159 towns, covering at least 432 barangays. This resulted in at least 54 armed encounters, 39 of which were raids against NPA encampments. Last of which was a raid by the 4th IB against an encampment of Red fighters in Rizal, Occidental Mindoro on April 30.

The clashes resulted in at least 31 killed and 27 wounded on the side of the AFP-PNP. On the side of the NPA, 20 Red fighters were martyred while eight others were wounded.

During the same period, Ang Bayan was also able to record 39 incidents of human rights violations that were perpetrated by state forces under the guise of the regime’s counterinsurgency campaign. Four civilians were killed, two of whom were peasants. Sixty others were illegally arrested, 54 of whom or 90% are peasants.

The most recent violation was the arbitrary against of 9-month pregnant Lumad woman in Butuan City. Elements of the 23rd IB accosted Mayet Ambason at Sitio Bankaling, Purok 8, Barangay Nong-Nong on Abril 30 at around 4 p.m. They accused her of being a member of the NPA who was involved in an encounter in the same barangay on April 24.