The Efren Martires Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Eastern Visayas firmly salute the NPA-Eastern Samar for its consecutive successful tactical offensives against the fascist 52nd Infantry Battalion in the past week. Red fighters of the Sergio Lobina Command dealt grave casualty to the enemy troops and even confiscated firearms. Their victories strengthen the resolve and serve as inspiration to all units of the NPA and to the masses to further intensify their armed resistance against the fascist Duterte regime.

The downtrodden masses welcome the victories of the NPA-SLC and regard these as the response of the people’s army to their urgent demand to punish the fascist criminals and murderers and to defend them against their attacks. The NPA tactical offensives heed the call for justice and accountability for the fascist troops of the Duterte regime who have wantonly killed, arrested, threatened, forced innocents to surrender and disturbed peasant communities in Eastern Visayas and in the entire country.

Five years have passed since Rodrigo Duterte began his puppet regime and his dirty all-out war against the people remains unparalleled. He wishes to worsen this by acquiring more arms, recruiting for his death squads, and perpetuating injustice and impunity under his rule. He wishes to instill fear in the hearts of the people, to destroy their determination to fight his regime’s abuses, and to remain in perpetual reign.

In the face of the enemy’s fascist onslaught, the NPA must further intensify the armed struggle against the Duterte regime. The NPA must wage extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare. All units of the NPA must make effort to mount tactical offensives, big or small, aimed at isolated or detached enemy units, and certain of quick victory. They must make the necessary preparations in terms of intelligence and counter-intelligence, secrecy, logistics, finance, medical needs and ordnance to ensure the success of the offensives. They must continually raise their capability to wage extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare on an ever widening and deepening mass base.

The tactical offensives of the NPA are essential to frustrate and to make the fascist troops pay for their grave exploitation and oppression of the masses. The intensified NPA offensives fan the flames of the masses’ courage and readiness to fight the regime’s abuses. They shall grow determined to persist and fight until the people finally overthrow the Duterte regime.#