CPP retorts to Malacañang on NPA's counter-offensive in Samar*
CPP Information Bureau
December 20, 2010
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today took exception to Malacañang deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte's statement yesterday that questioned the legitimacy of the tactical offensive carried out by the New People's Army (NPA) in Northern Samar last Tuesday.
"Ms. Valte shows that she has no idea at all of what constitutes legimate acts of war and which acts are prohibited under international humanitarian law," said the CPP.
Last Tuesday, a unit of the 803rd Brigade encountered NPA forces while the unit was conducting military operations in Las Navas town, Northern Samar. Ten government soldiers were killed and their firearms seized by the NPA. Two more government soldiers were wounded.
"Ms. Valte conveniently failed to mention that the soldiers of the Philippine Army's 803rd Brigade were carrying out search-and-destroy operations in the interior villages of Las Navas with the objective of locating and annihilating the local NPA operating in the area," said the CPP.
"The fact that the 803rd Bde tried to score against the NPA on the eve of the simultaneous holiday ceasefire and get away with it smacks of treachery. The NPA in the area had to defend itself, its territory and its mass base and launch a counter-offensive against the attacking government forces," said the CPP.
"That the AFP soldiers were on their way back to base to prepare for the ceasefire is a claim made by the AFP psywar mill," the CPP pointed out. "However, the fact is they remained on offensive mode, were fully armed with their fingers on the trigger and still actively trying to locate and ambush the local NPA unit."
"It is Malacañang and its armed forces command who need to explain to the relatives of the soldiers killed why their troops were dispatched for offensive operations just a few days before the holiday ceasefire, knowing full well that this could result in an armed engagement and casualties," the CPP pointed out.
"It is Ms. Valte and her boss who need to explain to the Filipino people why Malacañang has continued the Arroyo policy of relying primarily on a military solution to address the people's armed resistance despite the knowledge that this can only lead to the further escalation of the ongoing civil war."
The CPP said it is still checking on the circumstances surrounding the reported death of a nine-year old boy in the crossfire.
