Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday said the government will not declare a ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) this holiday season.

“Any ceasefire with the CPP-NPA-NDF is a ceasefire against terrorists and criminals,” Teodoro said in a statement.

“It is a last-ditch measure of a Jurassic group to find relevance in the national political ecosystem,” he added.

Meanwhile, CPP-NPA spokesperson Marco Valbuena accused the military of imposing martial law in the countryside, blaming it for dismissing the holiday ceasefire.

“The Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army cannot declare a holiday ceasefire in the face of the Marcos regime’s relentless war of suppression, offensive military operations, and imposition of martial law in the countryside,” Valbuena said in a statement published on the CPP website.

Valbuena also accused the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of spreading disinformation.

“In its desperation to crush the people’s resistance, the AFP is presently undertaking military operations across the country against the party and the NPA,” he said.

“To boost its public image, the AFP has intensified its war of disinformation by making the ludicrous claim that the NPA has only one weakened guerrilla front. This, however, is belied by their own actions,” he added.

On Tuesday, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla reported a 15-minute encounter between the Philippine Army’s 46th Infantry Battalion and the group of NPA leader Artemio Solayao, alias Budil, in Barangay Cawayan, Catbalogan City, Samar last 13 December.

“The AFP leadership commends the operation as a vital step in ending the insurgency in Eastern Visayas and encourages CTG members to avail of the national amnesty program,” she said.

Padilla said the clash resulted in the recovery of a .45-caliber pistol and subversive documents.

No AFP suspension vs NPA

The AFP also announced on Wednesday it will not suspend its operations against the NPA despite the approaching anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on 26 December.

Padilla said the military will continue its internal security operations, particularly in areas still affected by communist rebels.

“Over the years, the CPP has shown that they are anti-development and anti-people. Since the beginning of this year, we started operations against seven guerrilla fronts, and now we are down to one, well within our targets,” Padilla told reporters.

She added that the AFP’s accomplishments in combating communist insurgents will be discussed at the upcoming command conference to be attended by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief.