Reds’ ceasefire ends; renewed fighting expected

The 16-day holiday ceasefire declared by communist rebels ended last night, a day before the military is expected to launch operations against the rebels who have admitted plans to collect fees from politicians during the next elections.

Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero, Armed Forces spokesman, said the military will ensure that candidates in the May 10 elections will be free to roam and campaign in rural areas.

"We want candidates to campaign freely, and prevent the NPA from its mulcting activities," he said.

When the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) marked its 35th founding anniversary last Dec. 26, the New People’s Army (NPA) received instructions to launch more attacks against the government.

The orders were contained in a rebel campaign plan, from 2003 to 2005, authored by CPP central committee chairman Armando Liwanag, the suspected nom de guerre of exiled communist leader Jose Ma. Sison.

Liwanag said each guerilla front must attain company strength, with one platoon as the "center of gravity."

NPA guerrillas must "aim at having a platoon as center of gravity in every municipality" and that "each region must have at least six guerilla fronts," he added.

Liwanag said that the rebel movement must put up "regional strike forces" that will carry out wide-scale attacks on government positions.

Luis Jalandoni, National Democratic Front peace panel chairman, said the on-and-off peace process between the government and the rebels would not likely be resumed soon.

Government negotiators have yet to agree with the rebels in issuing a joint statement, he added.

In Cagayan Valley, Communist rebels have set up a radio station broadcasting as Radyo Gil-ayab, the Ilocano word for "blaze."

In its January issue. the CPP official organ Ang Bayan said Radyo Gil-ayab, was "like a spark that started a prairie fire" in Cagayan Valley.

"It is now ablaze in the entire Cagayan Valley," Ang Bayan said.

Ang Bayan said Gil-ayab will regularly broadcast every two months and will be disseminated in the form of compact disks and cassette tapes.

It is not the first time that the communist rebel movement had used air frequency for their propaganda.

They had used it in the 70’s and 80’s in Northern Luzon, and had challenged military commanders "on air" on reported human rights violations, illegal logging operations and gambling.

The initial broadcast featured "Paran," an adaptation of a Bombo Radyo-Cagayan advertisement on the rottenness of jueteng, and how it is used as a milking cow by politicians.

But in the rebel radio station’s adaptation, Paran argues with his wife not on whether to place a bet in jueteng but about joining a confrontation rally of peasants to reduce interest rates on loans. — Benjie Villa, Christina Mendez, Artemio Dumlao