The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today said that the checkpoints mounted by the New People’s Army (NPA) yesterday in Cortes town, Surigao del Sur, were “orderly and just” and were conducted with full respect for human rights and consistent with international humanitarian law (IHL).

“Based on initial information from the area, the checkpoints were conducted in an orderly fashion,” said CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena.

Reports from various news outfits say that residents noted about a hundred Red fighters of the NPA mounted checkpoints in different points of Cortes town, Surigao del Sur. One of the NPA units was assigned to the portion of the national highway in Sitio Lubcon, Barangay Mabahin, Cortes. The checkpoints were lifted 30 minutes later.

Valbuena described as a “desperate pack of lies” the claims of the 901st Infantry Brigade and Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office that the NPA checkpoints violated IHL.

“Clearly, the NPA forces which conducted the checkpoints were very respectful of the rights of civilians and did not cause much inconvenience,” said Valbuena. He explained that the NPA has the option of mounting temporary checkpoints within its territories or areas of operation to implement policies of the people’s democratic government.

Valbuena said checkpoints can be undertaken as measures to ensure compliance with the people’s government’s policies regarding the conduct of elections prohibiting politicians from bringing armed goons and police and military escorts that usually serve to intimidate the people.

Embarrassed by the NPA’s show of force, Maj. Francisco Garello, spokesperson of the 4th ID, gaslighted the residents by saying the report was inaccurate and only “around 20 rebels” mounted the checkpoint.

According to reports, a police unit dispatched to the checkpoints decided to return to their station after finding out they were “outnumbered.”