Soldiers urged to stay alert vs NPA attacks

Troops are on the defensive while the military implements the government’s unilateral ceasefire to thwart possible atrocities of the New People’s Army (NPA).

However, Armed Forces Public Affairs chief Col. Edgard Arevalo again reminded soldiers not to relax their guard following last Wednesday’s NPA attack on government forces that left a militiaman dead and four others wounded in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

“We admonish our personnel to observe the guidance of the AFP chief, Gen. Ricardo Visaya for them to remain vigilant and defensive, especially against atrocious acts by some misguided elements who have yet to embrace peace,” he said.

The militiamen were returning to base from combat patrol, in compliance with the government’s declaration of unilateral ceasefire when the rebels ambushed them.

Arevalo assured the nation that the Kapalong incident will not dampen the military’s resolve in supporting the government’s peace initiatives.

“We would like to believe that this incident is an isolated one,” he said. “We hope that the death of our personnel be taken to be a manifestation of our sincerity to the quest for peace even as we are hopeful that the other party ( CPPNPA-NDF) will also declare their own SOMO (Suspension of Military Operations) soon,” he said.

While welcoming President Duterte’s declaration of a unilateral ceasefire, the CPP-NPA-NDF said they will declare their own SOMO once government security forces on anti-insurgency duties are withdrawn from various areas of their deployment.

Arevalo said the ambushed militiamen were withdrawing from their forward deployment when the rebels belonging to the Guerrilla Front 34, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee attacked them.