Despite the Communist Party of the Philippines' declaration that the New People's Army can conduct tactical offensives following the death of CPP founding chairperson Jose Maria "Joma" Sison, the Armed Forces of the Philippines sees no security threat.

AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said Sison's departure will see the further weakening of the more than five decades old communist insurgency, noting that more and more members of the CPP's armed wing, NPA, are now returning to the folds of the law.

He added that sympathizers and allied mass organizations continue to withdraw support to the communist movement.

The CPP, in a statement posted on its website, said: "During this period of mourning, the NPA can stage tactical offensives against the rampaging fascist forces to defend the people."

Aguilar, in a radio interview Sunday, said: "As of now, we don't see any problem or threat because of Joma's death. In fact, their supporters and armed rebels continue to withdraw from the group."

Aguilar said the continuing localized peace talks with the CPP-NPA and its political arm National Democratic Front of the Philippines have been successful in averting violence.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte, who pursued peace talks with the Reds during his administration, offered his condolences to the family of Sison.

"His death certainly marks the end of an era, and it is my hope that, with it, the end of insurgencies in the Philippines and the revolutionary movement that he has founded as well," Duterte said in a statement.

Duterte administration lured representatives of the communist movement to several rounds of talks abroad, but negotiations bogged down.

Aguilar said sustainable peace was achieved only by pushing localized talks.

Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, on the other hand, issued Saturday a seven-word statement on the death of Joma. "May God have mercy on his soul," her statement read.

The AFP vowed to sustain its campaign to end the local communist armed conflict as the CCP will mark its 54th anniversary on 26 December.

"We are always in unity with the people for a peaceful, progressive, and stable country," Aguilar said.

Sison's death must be a good sign of the country's victory in its fight against insurgency, according to the AFP official.

"It might be a good indication and with the death of Joma now — I think this might help us to achieve peace and development in the country," he added.

"We respect the dead and we also pray those people who worked under him (Sison) will find enlightenment to choose the right path for them to renew their lives without resorting to armed struggle."

Sison's, 83, who founded the CPP on 26 December 1968, died on Friday night after a two-week confinement in a hospital in the Netherlands.

PNP mourns Joma's passing

Philippine National Police chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said he regrets Sison won't be able to face trial for the violence he inflicted on the country.

"We mourn the passing of CPP leader Joma Sison. It's unfortunate that he won't be able to witness the trial that he would have faced for the many years of violent incidents, sowing terror in which over 50,000 died or were killed," Azurin said, adding that he hopes the NPA will no longer create trouble.

"I hope, now that Joma Sison is gone, those who believed in him for a long time will be united and step down from the government so that we can begin to restore order and development to our country," he said.

Azurin said as of now, there's still no declaration of ceasefire during the Christmas season.

However, he urged the Reds not to sow terror during the Yuletide celebration.

NPA honors founder

Meanwhile, the CPP said it has already ordered all units of the NPA "to stand in formation" at the break of dawn on 26 December and perform a 21-gun salute by way of giving the highest tribute and bidding farewell to late Sison who died at 83 in a hospital in Utrecht, the Netherlands on 16 December.

"We declare the following 10 days as a period of mourning for the entire party in order to give the highest possible tribute to Ka Joma," the CPP said in a statement released Saturday.

Nothing worthy

The spokesperson of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict 6's Local Cooperation Cluster said Joma left nothing worthy of remembering by our future generations.

"His 'revolution' is nothing but a manifestation of his insatiable greed for power. He could not even take courage to stand side by side with his recruits," Prosecutor Flosemer Chris Gonzales said.

As he chose to live a life of luxury and relative safety in a foreign land, Gonzales said Joma's words are meaningless.

"His death will soon be a forgotten memory," he added.