MORE KILLINGS?

Army, police on alert for possible attacks as rebels threaten to mount tactical offensives

THE Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) and the 303rd Infantry Brigade (Ibgde) of the Philippine Army are on alert for possible atrocities following the recent order of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to its armed force, the New People’s Army (NPA), “to mount tactical offensives across the country in response to the extension of martial law in Mindanao.”

Colonel Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Ibgde commander, in a text message to Sunstar Bacolod yesterday said:

“with or without extension of martial law they have been doing that. So, what’s new?”

Arevalo said his order to the troops will always be “we attack the NPAS before they attack us.”

He said the communist rebels had been attacking not only the military or police but also innocent and helpless civilians whom they murdered coldbloodedly and admitted doing them.

They should not make an excuse for their atrocities saying its because of the extension, he added.

Tell it to their militant leftist organizations that believe them and not to us, he said.

The CPP, in its statement dated December 12, said: “all NPA units must exert all possible effort to punish the worst fascist units and officers of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) who have committed grave crimes against the people.”

The order to the communist rebels came immediately after the Congress voted for the extension of martial law in Mindanao for the third time.

President Rodrigo Duterte first made a declaration on May 23, 2017, in the height of the Marawi siege.

The new extension takes effect January 1 and will be effective for the whole of 2019.

The group also called on “the Filipino to further intensify their protests against martial law in Mindanao, de facto nationwide martial law, and against Duterte’s tyranny and terrorism.”

The CPP predicted “more killings, abductions, torture and worse abuses against the people.”

They said lawmakers who voted for the extension “will have their names tainted with the blood of each and every victim of Duterte’s all-out war.”

It also said that “extending military rule in Mindanao will result in worse corruption within the AFP and PNP (Philippine National Police),” noting that “under Duterte, the military has gained overriding control of the civilian bureaucracy and all its funds.”

Aside from this, it said, “the AFP is set on heightening its election meddling in order to manipulate the midterm polls to favor produterte and pro-afp candidates.”

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil Jr., provincial director of Nocppo, said they’ve been expecting the pronouncement of the communist rebels, especially since their founding anniversary on December 26 is approaching.

Castil said they even doubt the unilateral ceasefire that the communist rebels are telling the authorities.

“Di kami naniniwala dun (we don’t believe it),” he added.

Castil said policemen in the province will continuously sustain the alert level against possible rebel attacks.

We are now on offensive and defensive mode, even if it’s not the holiday season, and even if the area is considered infested by the reds or not, he also said.

The Negros top cop said he already directed police chiefs to always check their personnel in their respective police stations.

We want them to be alert at all times, he said.

Police chiefs should ensure that all personnel could defend their respective police stations, Castil said.

“Walang mag re-relax dapat (nobody should relax),” he stressed.*