Reds want strength hiked to 25,000

MANILA, Philippines - The Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP’s) political arm, the National Democratic Front (NDF), ordered its allies yesterday to continue their recruitment efforts in order to increase their strength to 25,000.

In a statement released during its 45th anniversary, the CPP-NDF said effective leadership is the most important political requirement to achieve what it described as “strategic stalemate” in its war against the government.

The CPP-NDF said its armed wing, the New People’s Army, could be strengthened by waging battles to wipe out the enemy and seize their weapons.

The military expressed belief the communist movement would not achieve its recruitment goal. 

“I think that is absurd because people have been clamoring to end the armed struggle,” Armed Forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr. said in an interview.

Tutaan said the reason why the strength of the communist movement is dwindling is because they haven’t had public sympathy.

“They are living a life of fallacy believing they could recruit a lot for their armed struggle,” he said.