Palace: Soldiers to remain vigilant despite ceasefire

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang said yesterday authorities would remain vigilant despite a ceasefire with the communist guerrillas, who vowed to intensify attacks of its military wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), against military forces to compel the government to talk peace with the revolutionary movement.

Combined military and police operations also led to the arrest of alleged NPA leader Filemon Mendrez, who had a P5.25-million bounty on his head. Mendrez was arrested this week in Manjuyod town, Negros Oriental.

According to presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, the Armed Forces is vigilant even if there is a suspension of military operations (SOMO) as agreed upon by the peace negotiating panels abroad.

“We certainly would hope that if the leaders would declare a ceasefire on both sides, we, in the AFP, will observe that. We expect no less from the leadership of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-National Democratic Front) to download the information to their ground troops. So we expect that the ceasefire will be observed,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda also said the government was not keeping an “order of battle” that was being used to justify disappearances in the country.

President Aquino has signed the landmark Republic Act 10350 or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012, which would criminalize enforced disappearances – or kidnappings carried out by government forces. Such cases will not be treated as ordinary kidnapping and could invite up to life imprisonment as punishment.

A significant provision in the law is making the “order of battle” illegal because many victims attribute their kidnapping to the supposed military list.

With the signing of RA 10350, there have been calls for Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II to disclose the names of communist leaders said to be in such an order of battle.

“My understanding is that there is no order of battle. There is a list which enumerates those personalities with outstanding warrants of arrest and also those with bounties which we have announced prior to the signing of the Anti-Enforced Disappearances Act,” Lacierda said.

Meanwhile, the CPP yesterday ordered its members to intensify their recruitment efforts and to lure “educated youth” to the revolutionary movement.

In its statement for its 44th anniversary, the CPP said it needs young people who can perform technical tasks for the organization.– With Alexis Romero