NPA behind twin blasts?

The AFP will remain on alert, and stand ready to respond to any threats to the safety and security of our communities.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday disclosed that it is looking at the possibility of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) involvement in the twin bombings that rocked Cotabato and Maguindanao on Sunday.

But the PNP leadership said the incidents will not affect the government’s unilateral ceasefire with communist groups as it assured the security forces’ adherence to the Suspension of Police Operations.

The blasts occurred on the same day President Rodrigo Duterte approved the holiday truce as customary to the two warring forces.

At least 22 persons were wounded in the bombings.

“Despite the explosions that happened in Mindanao, rest assured that the PNP is doing its best effort to identify the perpetrators and possibly prevent all those things from happening again in the next few days or for the yuletide season,” PNP officer-in-charge PLt. Gen. Archie Gamboa said during a press briefing in Camp Crame.

Instead of conducting tactical offensive operations, the police will instead continuously monitor the security situation nationwide under a “full alert” status.

Gamboa likewise gave assurances that the PNP will be doubly alert and remain vigilant in ensuring the safety and security of the public throughout the holidays.

“We’re assuring the public that the PNP will always be here to protect you even this yuletide season,” noted the official.

“It’s really a fact that a lot of threat groups might take advantage of the yuletide season, thinking that the government’s armed component is a bit relaxed because of the season. The PNP, of course, is on full alert status throughout the country,” he added, while also enjoining citizens to help the police curb criminality by reporting any suspicious activity of individuals or groups.

Gamboa also reminded all PNP personnel to report to their respective units on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day to help make sure that no internal or external threats will take advantage of the revelries and commit unlawful acts.

The Department of National Defense (DND) also on Monday issued a directive to all units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to respect the holiday truce with the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as declared by Malacañang.

Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana gave the instruction immediately after the Palace released President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for a ceasefire which took effect yesterday and will last until 7 January 2020.

“The appropriate directive has already been properly communicated and disseminated to all AFP units,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said in a statement.

This does not mean, however, that the military will be slacking in its duty of guarding the citizenry and the country from inside and outside threats.

“The AFP will remain on alert, and stand ready to respond to any threats to the safety and security of our communities,” Andolong stated.

Mr. Duterte and his Cabinet’s security cluster earlier rejected a call for a temporary truce with communist insurgents over their supposed continuing attacks against civilians and security forces.

The President, however, softened his stance and approved a holiday ceasefire following the joint recommendation submitted by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines panel and the NDF for a nationwide declaration of a reciprocal ceasefire “as a measure of goodwill and confidence building” pending the final decision on the resumption of peace negotiations.

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have followed suit in supporting the holiday truce.

In a statement, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año bared to have instructed the PNP to adhere to the declaration.

“It is the prerogative of the President, as commander-in-chief, to declare a unilateral ceasefire for the Christmas season and we abide by his decision,” noted Año.

“I have already directed the PNP to comply and issue appropriate orders to all units in the field,” he added.

The temporary ceasefire, according to the DILG chief, will also be an opportunity for all uniformed personnel to spend quality time with their families this holiday season.

In Cebu, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go reiterated his full support to revive the peace talks with the CPP-NDF-NPA as expressed by President Duterte, himself.

“ In fact, during the previous months, leaders of the CPP-NDF-NPA had several talks with me as they wanted to go back to the peace talks,” he disclosed. “Filipinos do not want to kill each other. We do not want to lose a husband, wife or a son to the madness of war.”

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar also lauded the President’s implementation of a unilateral ceasefire, calling it a part of the government’s confidence-building measures to ensure that the Reds will go back to the negotiating table.

“We will continue to be serious and committed in attaining the peace that this nation has been longing for,” Andanar said.

Davao City Mayor and Presidential daughter Sara Duterte, however, cautioned the government against complacency in dealing with the communists.

“We must be always reminded of the evil character and duplicitous nature of NDFP-CPP-NPA.

“Why the past peace negotiations sorely failed could only be blamed on the countless criminal acts and treachery of NDFP-CPP-NPA — displayed even during times when ceasefires were supposed to be in place,” the younger Duterte’s statement said.

“As spoilers of peace, we believe that the Christmas truce will be used by the terrorist groups as an opportunity to regain communities previously cleared of their presence, consolidate their forces, and derail the progress of existing government rural development projects.”

“With this, we ask the Duterte government to exclude Davao City from the scope of the Christmas ceasefire with these terrorists. We also seek the same once the national government pursues the reopening of the formal peace negotiations.”

“We reiterate that these moves, however commendable, are useless and deleterious to the accomplishments of our local peace initiative, the Peace 911.”