(Eagle News)–The Palace on Sunday, March 28, slammed the New People’s Army for its attack on soldiers in Rizal despite a ceasefire in place.
“This armed attack by the NPA against our soldiers exposes the insincerity of the former in declaring a ceasefire as well as their blatant disregard of the welfare of the Filipino people they claim to fight for,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.
He said the soldiers were conducting community work in Barangay Puray in Rodriguez.
The attack, which resulted in the death of one soldier, wounded two others, and led to “heavy casualties” on the part of the NPA “unmasked the treacherous character of the NPA when it declared a ceasefire following the government’s own declaration,” he said, noting the “blatant disregard of the welfare of the Filipino people they claim to fight for.”
“Their armed assault against the soldiers who were doing community work in connection with the government’s battle against COVID-19 have placed the civilians in imminent danger and disrupted the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in that area,” he added.
He also said the soldiers’ ability to repulse the NPA rebels showed the military’s readiness.
“Let this be a warning to the enemies of the state that the constituted authorities are equipped and ready to repel any and all transgressions of law and crush any armed attack against our soldiers and civilians with ferocity and might,” Panelo said.
The NPA declared the ceasefire supposedly in response to the United Nations call for warring parties to stop hostilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier, the Philippine government declared its own unilateral ceasefire.
