In the wake of Pres. Duterte’s
declaration as a terror group
TACLOBAN CITY- Soldiers in Eastern Visayas are in alert for possible attacks from the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) after President Rodrigo Duterte officially labeled the communist group as a terror group and for its forthcoming anniversary this December 26.
This was disclosed by Captain Francis Agno, chief of the Public Affairs Office of the 8th Infantry Division whose headquarters is based in Catbalogan City.
Agno said that they are anticipating arm attacks by the rebel members of the CPP reason they are now in alert.
“They will surely stage attacks as a show of force although they just number fewer than 200,” Agno, reached on his mobile phone, said.
“But we will continue our combat operations as we expect that their Sparrow Units will conduct attacks against us and other law enforcers,” he added.
Most of these rebels are operating on Samar Island composed of (western) Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar.
However, there are still some rebels operating in Leyte and in fact, engaged government troops in Albuera town last November 28.
Agno said that while there are just about 200 armed members of the communist group in the region, they are conducting ‘mass recruitment’ especially in remote barangays, citing their intelligence gathering.
Mr. Duterte has officially labeled the CPP-NPA as a terror group after he earlier ended peace talks with the former.
Agno said that they are solidly behind on the declaration of the President calling the CPP-NPA as a terror group.
“That is a correct label. They have been terrorizing our people; killing them all these years,” he said.
The military official asked the people in the communities and officials to help them in their campaign against the rebels.
“We have also strengthened our coordination with our PNP counterpart particularly on intelligence sharing,” Agno said.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
