MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Friday advised the public, especially residents of Mindanao, to take precautions amid the New People’s Army (NPA)’s alleged plan to take aggressive and violent actions against public structures, facilities, and projects.
“(W)e…wish to forewarn the public of reported planned attacks of the NPA on people-oriented programs and infrastructure projects and we request the citizenry of Mindanao and everyone else in the country to be on the alert and on the lookout,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.
“We also appeal to everyone to share information with authorities on suspicious persons and activities in their communities,” he added.
Last May, the Communist Party of the Philippines called on the NPA, the CPP’s armed wing, “to plan and carry out more tactical offensives across Mindanao and the entire archipelago” in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Southern Philippines to address the crisis in Marawi City.
But later in May, communist leader Jose Ma. Sison asked his comrades to reconsider CPP’s order to intensify rebel attacks as a response to the declaration of military rule in Mindanao.
This was followed earlier this month by the instruction of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, the CPP’s political arm, to the NPA rebels stationed near Marawi to help government forces in defeating ISIS-inspired Islamist extremists who had occupied portions of the Lanao del Sur capital.
