WALANG planong magdeklara ng ‘holiday truce’ ang gobyerno sa Communist Party of the Philippines at kanilang armadong galamay na New People’s Army ngayong nalalapit na Kapaskuhan.
Ayon kay Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. hindi magdedeklara ng tigil putukan ang pamahalaan sa hanay ng Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF):”Any ceasefire with the CPP-NPA-NDF is a ceasefire against terrorists and criminals. It is a last-ditch measure of a Jurassic group to find relevance in the national political ecosystem.”
Inihayag rin ni Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, na hindi nila tatantanan ang CPP-NPA kahit Pasko dahil tuloy-tuloy ang kanilang opensiba laban sa nalalabing kasapi ng NPA.
“Over the years, the CPP has shown that they are anti-government, anti-development and anti-people, so with this, the AFP will continue with our internal security operations,” ani Padilla.
“Rest assured, tuluy-tuloy tayo with all our internal security operations for us to sustain the gains that we have… and we will always be ready for any eventuality.”
Nauna nang sinabi ni AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla na ang natitirang “weakened” NPA guerilla front ay hindi na maka paglulunsad ng anumang major operations sa bansa.
Bukod dito, ipinahayag din ng tagapagsalita ng Hukbong Sandatahan ng Pilipinas na matagal nang dumaranas ng leadership vacuum ang CPP-NPA-NDFP.
Nang likhain ang National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) nuong December 2018, ay may 89 active guerrilla fronts sa buong bansa hanggang sa ideklara kamakailan ng NTF-ELCAC may isa nalamang ‘weakened guerilla’ na nalalabi na target durugin ng militar sa mga susunod na araw.
