The 2-day holiday ceasefire declared by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Operations Command of the New People’s Army (NPA), took effect this morning at 0001 hours and will last until 2359 hours of Tuesday, December 26.

The CPP said the holiday truce aims to allow assemblies and gatherings to celebrate the Party’s 55th anniversary and pave the way for the people’s traditional holiday celebrations.

Amid the 2-day ceasefire, units of the NPA are in high alert and ready to act in self-defense to counter and frustrate hostile movement or actions of enemy units within the scope of the NPA’s guerrilla fronts and areas of operations, the Party said.

Asked by media on the Marcos government’s non-reciprocation of the holiday ceasefire, CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena replied that the CPP “did not expect the Marcos fascist regime and its running dogs in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to reciprocate the Party and NPA’s gesture of solidarity with the people during their traditional celebrations.”

“The AFP cannot control its bloodlust. They cannot give even a short respite to the masses who are tired of the presence of armed soldiers in their communities! Even their foot-soldiers are complaining how they are being used as cannon-fodder without letup,” said Valbuena.

“The AFP is desperately trying to meet its declared war objective of crushing the NPA by the end of the year (again) and is on a rampage of state terrorism in almost all parts of the country,” Valbuena added.

Valbuena pointed out that despite the AFP’s relentless armed offensives, people are secretly converging or will be converging in a thousand places in the coming days, to mark the Party’s founding anniversary. Party branches are gathering to read the message of the Central Committee, take stock of the situation, and reaffirm their commitment to fight for the people’s aspirations for social justice and freedom.

After the 2-day ceasefire, units of the NPA may resume its guerilla offensives at 0001 hours of Wednesday, December 27, according to the Party leadership. “Amid worsening economic crisis and intensifying oppression under the Marcos regime, the NPA must continue to carry out extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare to fight state terrorism and defend the people’s democratic rights and interests,” the CPP said.