Army says NPA violated its own Christmas ceasefire

The Philippine Army accused the communist movement of insincerity in its declared Christmas ceasefire after members of the New People’s Army (NPA) allegedly fired on a group conducting community “peacework” in Las Navas, Northern Samar on Monday, 15 December.

Lt. Col. Ricky James Rosalejos, commanding officer of the 19th Infantry Battalion, said the incident occurred at around 4:45 p.m. while government troops, together with officials of Barangay Paco, were traveling to Barangay Poponton for a peace-related activity when they came under fire.

Rosalejos said no one was injured, but stressed that the incident casts doubt on the sincerity of the communist movement’s ceasefire declaration for the Christmas season.

He said the attack was carried out by members of the Sub-Regional Guerrilla Unit of Sub-Regional Committee Emporium under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.

Government forces recovered one M16 rifle, two long magazines, and 37 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition following the incident, Rosalejos added.

Earlier on December 15, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Central Committee announced a four-day unilateral ceasefire for its armed wing, the NPA, covering the Christmas and New Year holidays.

CPP Central Committee information officer Marco Valbuena said the ceasefire would take effect from 25 to 26 December 2025, and from 31 December 2025 to 1 January 2026. During these periods, all NPA units were directed to halt offensive military operations.

Valbuena said NPA forces would remain on alert and assume a defensive posture, citing continued military operations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Rosalejos said that if the CPP-NPA were sincere in pursuing peace, it should consider declaring a year-long ceasefire instead of limiting it to the holiday season.

Earlier, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict described the CPP-declared unilateral ceasefire as “hollow and unverifiable” due to the absence of a clear accountability mechanism.