The New People’s Army (NPA)-Cagayan Valley and its Red fighters and commanders are deceived by the “safe conduct pass” (SCP) scheme for those who will avail of the bogus US-Marcos regime’s amnesty program, people’s army regional political officer Ka Elias Almazan said. Marcos offered the SCP through the signed Memorandum Order No. 36 on April 11.

The memorandum mandates the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) to issue SCPs to rebels who wish to join the amnesty program and are facing criminal charges. The fascist state’s chief said “this will not only provide protection to amnesty applicants but is also an invitation to all rebels to stop the armed struggle and to start a new page.”

NPA units nationwide have previously rejected Proclamation 404’s bogus amnesty program launched on November 24, 2023. They said the revolutionary aspiration for genuine national freedom and social justice is far honorable than any offer of amnesty and surrender of arms.

Ka Elias said the 5th ID’s SCP offer to active Red fighters in Cagayan Valley and the neighboring regions of Ilocos and Cordillera to voluntary surrender is ridiculous. The division commander is reportedly rushing for a grand surrender show to coincide with the visit of NAC personnel to Gamu, Isabela on April 22.

“The military will again certainly round up hundreds, if not thousands, of farmers and civilians to parade as surrenderees,” Ka Elias said. He said that violations of human rights and international humanitarian law will most likely worsen in the coming days because of this.

“This surrender campaign is characterized by the brutal subjugation of the civilian population under the iron hand of the military, and the forced fake surrender of tens of communities, which is a blatant violation of their political and civil rights,” the political officer added. The unit recorded that, since 2018, relentless harassment, threats, and intimidation have forced hundreds of farmers in Cagayan Valley to “clear their names” with the military.

Aside from the bogus amnesty program’s violence, Ka Elias said it will also serve as a wellspring of corruption for high-ranking 5th ID military officials.

“At its core, the amnesty is a desperate scheme of the regime and the state to paint an image of the military’s ‘strategic victory’ against the people’s revolutionary armed resistance,” he said.

Ka Elias emphasized that the 5th ID is inutile and daydreaming in its delusion that the NPA-Cagayan Valley will lay down its arms. “As long as the root of the armed conflict in the country is not resolved–the absence of freedom based on social justice–the people’s army, together with the broad masses, will persevere in treading the path of protracted people’s war,” he added.

CPP chief information officer Ka Marco Valbuena said the revolutionary armed movement will not surrender its aspiration and will not be deceived by the SCF, the offer of amnesty, and surrender. “Communists and revolutionary fighters remain faithful to the Filipino people’s aspirations,” he said.

Instead of acceptance, Ka Marco said the revolutionary movement will thoroughly expose and denounce this as an additional instrument for deception and oppression.

He further said that the revolutionary aspiration for genuine national freedom and social justice is far greater than any offer of amnesty. “Revolutionaries act not out of selfish desire for personal gain, but out of wholehearted loyalty to serve and fight alongside the people,” Ka Marco concluded.

Ka Marco also reiterated that “Marcos’ offer of amnesty to those who will surrender is doublespeak while almost 800 political prisoners are in detention, and every day, people are being arrested and persecuted because of their political beliefs and social convictions.”