The unilateral ceasefire separately declared by both the GRP and the CPP-NPA last August is almost on its fourth month.

All NPA units in Panay have strictly followed and stood by the Party’s unilateral declaration. Meanwhile, the AFP, specifically the 3rdID/PA in the region has grossly violated GRP’s indefinite unilateral ceasefire declaration.

Army units of the AFP have not ceased in conducting combat patrols, civil-military operations and widespread intelligence and surveillance work as they intensified the sophisticated implementation of Oplan Bayanihan upon orders from the 3rd ID/PA. The widespread intelligence operations were not only conducted on NPA areas but also in the cities together with PNP units, in the guise of anti-drug campaign, issues of “state of lawlessness” and other deceptive reasons.

Reports in the region showed that 49 barangays from 12 municipalities and a city in Panay Island were affected with military operations under Oplan Bayanihan. These include frequent combat operations by the 61stIB/PA in the interior barrios of Tapaz, Calinog, and Lambunao municipalities, all in Central Panay.

The AFP has maintained their military detachments, patrol bases, and PDT units in various villages. They continue to conduct Oplan Bayanihan operation through deceptive “medical missions” and “gift giving” to cover-up their intelligence and psy-ops. Not a single unit of the 82ndIB, 61stIB, 12thIB, the CAFGUs and CAAs has gone back to their main headquarters and barracks in the entire ceasefire period.

But instead, the 82ndIB Company headquarters had advanced even more closely into the interior areas of Igbaras, Iloilo. The PNP detachment in Bungsuan, Dumarao, Capiz was reinforced with 30 Philippine Army troops. Roxas City, Capiz was not even spared when five of its barangays — Culasi, Baybay, Dumulog, Lawaan and Dinginan – were deployed with 30 PA troops as PDT units.

The AFP’s armed operating troops find comfort with civilian shield as they occupy barangay halls, school buildings, mini-market, and other civilian structures and peasants’ houses. These activities are violations of GRPs ceasefire declaration, clear infringements of the provisions stipulated in the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws (CARHRIHL) and acts that sabotage the ongoing peacetalks.

These traitorous acts of the AFP on its own ceasefire declaration issued by their commander-in-chief are grossly unfavorable conditions for reaching common understanding and unities both by the GRP and the NDFP in seeking solutions on the root causes of the armed conflict. These also show that the AFP is not sincere in rooting out the real problems of the people.

The Panayanon people did not cease in their strong protests against the continued implementation of Oplan Bayanihan in the countryside and the PDT deployment in the aforementioned barangays of Roxas City, Capiz. Their resistance has been displayed in a series of protest actions in November and this December that rallied thousands of people coming from different sectors.

Their sentiments against AFP violations of GRP’s ceasefire are also exhibited in the slogans written on street streamers, placards and the confetti littering on the main streets in the various municipalities of Panay’s provinces.

People’s sentiments are for peace that they should not be taunted and terrorized by the psy-ops and combat operations by armed units of the AFP and PNP. After all, it’s supposed to be a ceasefire period. People want to have a meaningful ceasefire, most especially that it is Yuletide.

People also want that peacetalks will succeed in taking up significant reforms – like genuine land reform, national industrialization, jobs, salary increase and benefits and other socio-economic reforms for the interests of the Filipino people.

It is the current sentiment and people’s demand to pull the AFP and PNP armed troops out of the civilian communities in the rural and urban areas. For as long as Oplan Bayanihan is being implemented, the more people’s rights are grossly violated, the same people’s rights that had been long trampled upon by exploitation and oppression.

The Red commanders and fighters of the NPA under Coronacion Chiva “Waling-Waling” Command, including our mass base fully support the national leadership stand on the possibility of extending the ceasefire period under conditions of the release of all political prisoners and put an end to the Oplan Bayanihan by the Duterte’s administration.

Enough with terrorism and deceptions on the people. End Oplan Bayanihan!

https://www.cpp.ph/enough-terror-deceptions-end-oplan-bayanihan/