Caraga NPA declares Lenten ceasefire

BUTUAN CITY – The New People’s Army (NPA) will temporarily halt all tactical offensives against the government in observance of the Holy Week, starting today, Holy Wednesday..

The truce order was issued “in deference to peaceful observance of the Filipino people’s Holy week tradition.”

In a statement released to various news agencies in Northeastern Mindanao, a certain Ka Ariel Montero, spokesperson of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA Reginal Operation Command (ROC) of Northeastern Mindanao said the ROC of Bagong Hukbo ng Bayan (BHB)–Northeastern Mindanao Region (NEMR) ordered all field units of BHB and Milisyang Bayan (MB) in Caraga region to temporarily halt their tactical offensive against the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to join the whole Christendom in the observance of the Lenten Week.

“The temporary stoppage of tactical offensive will start on Wednesday, March 28, and will end on Monday, April 1,” said the CPP-NPA ROC spokesperson.

The ceasefire was also announced to coincide with the 49th founding anniversary of the NPA on Thursday in an undisclosed place in Mindanao, the statement also said.

“The temporary stop of tactical offensive applies to all commands and units of the NPA and the people’s militia in the region,” said Montero in the statement.

All NPA units were nevertheless ordered to strengthen defensive posture to protect themselves of any hostile action from the AFP and PNP, the spokesperson said.

All communist guerrillas and their allies shall remain on active defensive mode in order to defend the people and revolutionary forces, he added.

Meanwhile, all military and police units in Northeastern Mindanao or Caraga region were ordered to remain “vigilant” during the Lenten Week and summer break, regional Army spokesman Lt. Tere Ingente said.