The New People’s Army (NPA) – Ilocos Cordillera command fully supports and will strictly adhere to the directive of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) for a nationwide ceasefire from 12 AM of December 23, 2019 to 11:59 PM of January 7, 2020. Pursuant to this directive, all units of the NPA and people’s militia under the Chadli Molintas Command are hereby ordered to cease and desist from launching offensive military operations against troops of the AFP, PNP and CAFGU.

However, all NPA units and people’s militia shall maintain an active defense posture against any attack by said GRP armed troops. Every unit of the NPA including the people’s militia will be prepared to defend itself amidst any of the following situations: 1) armed attack by the AFP-PNP-CAFGU against any unit or individual member of the NPA; 2) armed intrusion or entry of the AFP-PNP-CAFGU including so-called Civil-Military Operations within the territory of the people’s democratic government; 3) intelligence operations launched by intelligence operatives and personnel of the AFP-PNP-CAFGU within the territory of the people’s democratic government; 4) combat operations disguised as operations to serve arrest warrants to individuals within the territory of the people’s democratic government.

In this regard, all units of the NPA and milisyang bayan are also hereby ordered to immediately submit to their respective higher command reports regarding any violation of the ceasefire by any troop of the AFP-PNP-CAFGU.

Unarmed personnel of the AFP-PNP-CAFGU who have not committed any crime against the people and the revolutionary movement and who wish to enter the territory of the people’s democratic government to make personal visits to relatives and friends will not be arrested nor subjected to any punitive action. On the other hand, criminal elements entering any territory of the people’s democratic government shall be accorded appropriate action by the concerned unit of the NPA and people’s militia in the area.

The NPA-ICR fully supports the declaration of a holiday truce in keeping spirit with the Filipino Christian tradition of celebrating the Christmas Holidays. More importantly, the ceasefire period offers a favorable atmosphere for the revolutionaries and masses in the Ilocos-Cordillera region in the various production efforts of the communities to recover from consecutive natural calamities in 2019. ###