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Friday, March 29, 2024

Yule truce ruled out amid NPA attacks

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THE Armed Forces of the Philippines will most likely not observe the traditional Christmas truce with the communist New People’s Army, a military spokesman said Sunday.

“This has been rendered moot and academic because President Rodrigo Duterte has issued Proclamation No. 360 terminating peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF,” AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said in Filipino on radio dzBB.

Instead of the yearly truce, the military will keep up its “relentless” campaign against communist rebels, who they believe will intensify attacks on “soft” targets.

NPA attacks have been reported in Misamis Oriental,

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Camarines Norte and Cagayan, which Arevalo said were in retaliation with the killing of 14 communist rebels in Nasugbu, Batangas last week.

He said this month, the AFP has neutralized 119 NPA rebels, 21 of whom were killed, and 29 of whom were arrested. The rest surrendered.

The AFP will continue to welcome rebels who surrender, he said, and supports localized peace talks between local officials and NPA groups in their areas of jurisdiction.

Arevalo said the NPA has about 2,000 members still, most of whom are in Eastern Mindanao. But he added that the communists have been actively recruiting, particularly in universities and colleges.

In Binuangan town in Misamis Oriental, four police officers were wounded after NPA rebels attacked their station Sunday.

Police Regional Office-10 spokesman Supt. Lemuel Gonda said the policemen suffered minor injuries following the explosion of an M203 Rifle grenade.

The rebels were unable to get the firearms from the police station and retreated after the government side returned fire. 

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