PNP on alert as NPA anniversary nears

The national police on Monday raised the alarm on possible hostilities by the New People’s Army (NPA) as the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) armed wing approaches its founding anniversary. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Raul Bacalzo – through PNP director for operations Police Director Leocadio Santiago Jr. – issued a memorandum reminding police units “to be alert and take extra precaution for possible atrocities" that the CPP-NPA may carry out ahead of the NPA’s founding anniversary on March 29. The PNP high command further directs field unit commanders to “strengthen and implement utmost security measures to preempt harassments of PNP personnel, ambuscades, raids, sabotage of cell sites and vital installations." Santiago explained that heightened atrocities and attacks against government forces, among other targets, usually mark the CPP and NPA founding anniversary. The CPP marks its founding anniversary every December 26. PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. added that to highlight their celebrations, the CPP-NPA launch tactical offensives on “soft targets" such as isolated and less fortified police and military outposts, government installations and infrastructure, and vital facilities. Bacalzo sounded the alert in the wake of an NPA attack in Davao del Norte late Saturday night that killed two policemen and wounded another. “We grieve the loss of PO3 Narciso Pakiwag who offered the supreme sacrifice in line of duty along with his fellow wounded police officers led by Police Senior Inspector Jay Demaala, who bravely stood fast and defended the town against the shooting and looting frenzy of the CPP-NPA," Bacalzo said in a statement. – MRT/KBK, GMA News