The Communist Party of the Philippines ordered Thursday the New People’s Army to extend the nationwide ceasefire for 15 more days to “prioritize the fight against the pandemic and ensure the safety, health, and well-being of everyone.”
The order by the Party’s highest governing body coincided with a report that a top spy of the local terrorist group in Southern Tagalog was arrested by intelligence troops in Batangas.
The suspect, identified as Lamberto Asinas alias Baste, was nabbed by the military in Brgy. Bunducan, Nasugbu, by joint AFP-PNP forces at around 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
The military said Asinas yielded a caliber .45 pistol, numerous ammunition, one hand grenade, laptop, cellphone and subversive documents during his arrest.
Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition would be filed against him at the Regional Trial Court Branch 27 of Sta. Cruz, Laguna under Executive Judge Cynthia R. Marino-Ricablanca, the military added.
In its order posted at the CPP’s website, the CPP Central Committee extended to 11:59 p.m. of April 30 its earlier ceasefire declaration which started on March 25.
The CPP ordered the units of the NPA and the “people’s militias to continue to desist and cease from carrying out offensive military actions against the armed units and personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and other paramilitary and armed groups attached to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.”
The aim of the ceasefire extension, according to the Party CC, “is to ensure quick and unimpeded support to all people requiring urgent medical, health and socioeconomic assistance in the face of the public emergency over the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The Party said all revolutionary forces were “ever ready to cooperate with all other forces and elements to achieve this objective.”
It also reiterated the call for the “urgent release” of all political prisoners and for declaring a general amnesty and expressed a desire for the resumption of the NDFP-GRP peace negotiations.
It said the Party’s ceasefire order had been observed: “despite the difficulties and dangers brought about by the continuing occupation of AFP combat troops of guerrilla zones and base areas, the widespread and intense intelligence and psywar operations, and the attacks mounted by the AFP’s strike forces against detected NPA units.”
During the ceasefire period, the Party leaders said all NPA units must strictly limit themselves to active defense operations which shall be carried out
only in the face of imminent danger and actual armed attacks by the government troops.
The AFP on Thursday said the extension of the March 19 to April 15 unilateral ceasefire declared by President Rodrigo Duterte following the coronavirus disease outbreak was up to Malacañang.
“The ceasefire declaration emanated from [Malacañang]. Let us await any guidance or announcement about it,” AFP spokesperson, Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in a media message.
The truce was declared so that the government and the AFP could focus on containing the spread of the Covid-19.
The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Meanwhie, Col. Alex Rillera, Commander of the 202nd Brigade which has operational jurisdiction over Region 4A, said the security forces were able to locate the terrorists’ safe house through reports from the neighborhood who observed suspicious activities recently.
“We were able to confirm his identity through the help of several former rebels who worked with him before, one of whom was included in the mass surrender last March 29 during the NPA’s 51st Anniversary,” added Rillera.
Major Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., Commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division which covers Southern Tagalog, said Asinas was the 11th NPA leader considered as high-value target to be neutralized since 2019.
The military has also arrested Jaime Padilla, alias Diego, the NPA’s Southern Tagalog Regional Spokesman last November at the posh Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan city as well as the killing of Armando Lazarte alias Pat Romano in Antipolo City last December.
Recently, soldiers killed a certain Noel Levanta, a hardcore cadre of Metro Manila Regional Party Committee’s Regional Education Bureau, during an encounter following an NPA ceasefire violation in Brgy Puray, Rodriguez, Rizal.
