Police on red alert as NPA nears anniversary

The National Capital Region Police (NCRPO) will be on full alert status for the anniversary of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), on 26 December.

NCRPO acting chief Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas said they will beef up internal security and intelligence operations to ensure peace and order during the Christmas holidays.

He also directed cops on the ground to continue securing all vital installations, economic key points as well as places of convergence and ensure a high state of operational readiness to deter CPP and other terrorist activities.

Asked if the NCRPO has monitored any threat, Sinas said the police only knew that some protest rallies and demonstrations will take place on that day.

“As usual naka-red alert kami diyan (We are on red alert). In fact, sa ngayon pa lang nakahanda na kami (this early, we are ready) for the International Human Rights Day and sa (on) December, 26 mag-prepare din kami (We will prepare) for any eventualities. We have contingencies in place,” Sinas told reporters in a press conference on Friday at the Quezon City Police District Station 10.

A full alert means the highest level of readiness in all police offices and units in the metropolis to intensify during the Yuletide season this year.

The Metro Manila top cop assured the public that they will provide peace and security everywhere they go during the Yuletide season.

“Ang gagawin namin is paigtingin ‘yung mga checkpoints at random checkpoints natin para sa mga ilegal na magdadala ng firearms (What we will do is intensify our checkpoints and our random checkpoints to arrest persons illegally possessing firearms),” Sinas said when asked for a comment.

On Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., a ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, said he and other government officials are targeted by the communist front groups for leading President Rodrigo Duterte’s counterinsurgency program.

Parlade, also the Armed Forces of the Philippines Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military Operations, said that aside from him and Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, included on the alleged hit list of the CPP are National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples chairman Allen Capuyan.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)