National Police chief General Archie Gamboa ordered policemen to suspend all their tactical operations against “forces” of the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP) effective midnight Thursday until midnight of April 15, 2020.
Gamboa issued his order in full support to the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the government, which has earlier put the whole of Luzon under enhanced community quarantine as part of the effort of stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
“All national, regional, provincial and district police maneuver units engaged in internal security operations have been placed on defensive posture and have shifted operations to disaster response and public safety mode to enforce the enhanced Luzon-wide community quarantine to contain the spread of COVID-19 upon the government’s declaration of a national state of calamity,” said Gamboa.
“This cessation of police offensive operations against the CPP-NPA will allow PNP maneuver units to be fully utilized for quarantine control and general public safety operations to ensure swift and immediate assistance to patients and persons under investigation and monitoring (PUI/PUM), including military and police personnel; and the unimpeded movement of health workers, medical supplies, and other humanitarian assistance; including the movement of medical and food products; and consumer goods to the local market,” he added.
The military is yet to come up with a similar order to its troops through the Department of National Defense.
On Monday, President Duterte called for a ceasefire with the communist rebels, apparently in order for the government to focus its attention in combatting the coronavirus, wherein part of the effort has been the setting up of checkpoints in entry and exit points of Metro Manila manned by soldiers and policemen.
The call was responded to by the rebels through Communist founder and NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison by encouraging the government to formalize it through its own peace panel and which will submit it to the NDFP panel.
On Wednesday, Malacanang formalize its move, with Duterte declaring a ceasefire as announced by Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo.
“In view of the imposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon amidst the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has decided to declare a unilateral ceasefire against the Communist Party of the Philippines-the New People’s Army-the National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), effective 00:00H of March 19, 2020 to 24:00H of April 15, 2020,” Panelo said.
“The President has directed the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), to cease and desist from carrying out offensive military and police operations during the ceasefire period. Both of these departments shall issue the corresponding orders to implement the declaration of the unilateral ceasefire, including the Suspension of Offensive Military and Police Operations (SOMO),” he added.
Panelo said that through the ceasefire, the government could work for the swift provision of public health assistance through the unimpeded “movement of health workers and medical supplies to communities, as well as of people in need of immediate medical attention remains unhampered.”
Despite the ceasefire, Gamboa instructed PNP units to maintain defensive vigilance against possible hostile actions by armed threat groups “to which appropriate police response is authorized under the Police Operational Procedures.”
“We remain hopeful that the CPP-NPA-NDFP will reciprocate the government’s gesture good faith in the interest of public welfare and peace,” he said.