|
Friday, December 22, 2006
Military declares 4-day truce with NPA
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday approved a four-day truce with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, New People's Army (NPA), during the Yuletide season.
Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the President approved his recommendation during a close-door meeting with top leaders of the military during their 71st foundation anniversary celebration in Camp Aguinaldo.
Sun.Star Network Online's 12th Asean Summit Watch
Esperon said the truce or suspension of offensive military operations (Somo) will take effect starting 12:01 a.m. on December 24 up to midnight of December 25 and from December 31 up to January 1.
"This has nothing to do with any peace talks, it is simply a Yuletide gesture," said Esperon. Formal peace negotiations with the communists bogged down in 2002 following the inclusion of the NPA and the CPP in the US list of foreign terrorist organizations.
"As to our operations against the terrorists in the south, we have not recommended it and the President in fact would not declare any suspension of operations against the terrorists, the Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf," said Esperon.
When reminded that the CPP and the NPA had been classified by the US as terrorist groups, Esperon said: "Yes, we consider them (CPP and NPA members) as terrorists also but there are other aspects that have to be considered."
Esperon said it would be up to communist leaders to reciprocate the government act.
The Arroyo government adopted last year a similar truce with the communist movement. Communist leaders did not reciprocate the government gesture but NPA guerillas maintained a defensive mode during the whole holiday season.
Esperon said at the same time that government forces have taken measures against possible rebel atrocities as the CPP marks its 38th foundation anniversary, which the insurgents traditionally observe with attacks on military and police targets.
Arroyo, according to Esperon, has given the go signal to the military to implement Operation Oplan Bantay Laya II, a military master plan against various internal security threats that include the NPA.
Esperon said the plan specifically calls for the defeat of the communist insurgency by 2010 when the President's term expires.
He also said the campaign, which will take effect next month, also calls for the destruction of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah and containing of secessionist groups in the southern Philippines.
Oplan Bantay Laya II is revival of the original Oplan Bantay Laya, which was implemented in January 2002 but is due to end later this month.
Esperon earlier said the new campaign plan would include "developmental" components in the fight against insurgency. Other officials said the new and old campaign plans are similar in terms of targeted threat groups.
Esperon reported to the President the military's feats under first Oplan Bantay Laya, including the reduction of the NPA strength from 12,000 members in 2002 to only 7,100 at present, which translated to a 1,000 reduction yearly from the start of the plan's implementation.
He also said the number of barangays affected by the communist insurgency has been declining for the past years. From a high of 12,510 in 2004 to 2,115 at present, said Esperon.
This year, Esperon said a regional secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines was killed in a clash. This is on top of 13 other guerilla front secretaries who had either surrendered, been captured or apprehended, or killed in combat. (VR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (December 22, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
