Palace: NPA attack in Rizal unmasked its “treacherous character”

March 29, 2020

Malacanang on Sunday strongly condemned the ceasefire violation committed by the New People’s Army (NPA) when it attacked soldiers doing community work in Rodriguez, Rizal last Saturday.

In a statement, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said this attack “unmasked the treacherous character” of the NPA and “exposed the insincerity” of the Communist Party of the Philippines in declaring ceasefire.

“We strongly condemn in the strongest terms the NPA attack on our soldiers while the latter were doing community work in Barangay Puray, Rodriguez, Rizal in the face of a declaration of ceasefire on both sides and in the midst of an emergency health crisis,” Panelo said.

“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 as their armed assault against the soldiers who were doing community work in connection with the government’s battle against COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) have placed the civilians in imminent danger and disrupted the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in that area,” he added.

The encounter between the government troops and rebels resulted to the death of one soldier and wounding of two others. A rebel was also killed in the incident.

Panelo said the soldiers being able to repulse the NPA’s "perfidious" armed offensive demonstrates the preparedness of the armed forces against the "purveyors of hate and anarchy" even as they perform their additional task of assisting in the implementation of the protocols and guidelines established by the government to address the COVID-19.

“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,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS