Military says personnel can defend themselves vs NPA assassins

April 8, 2019

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) assures that the military personnel can protect themselves against possible assassinations.

“While the NPA's SPARU (Special Partisan Unit) elements do pose a threat to the security of our soldiers, especially those who are off-duty, the AFP has instituted both overt and covert measures to deal with the NPA assassination plots,” Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman said in a statement issued Monday.

The New People's Army SPARU units are known as their urban hit squad.

“Our soldiers are ingrained with the knowledge and skills to ensure personal security to prepare themselves against suspected individuals with hostile intent. Our soldiers also cover for each other’s backs when in high risk areas,” he noted.

Arevalo said the military has  “ specialized units and personnel under the Special Operations Command who are trained to deal with situations outside conventional warfare.'' 

Arevalo issued his statement after President Rodrigo Duterte announced his directive to the police and military to create a unit that will hunt down the SPARU members of the New People’s Army.

“We take the statement of President Duterte as a warning. We will take necessary precautions individually and as an organization to protect ourselves, at the same time to proactively engage or hunt down the NPA's SPARU,” he noted.

“We have further enhanced intelligence operations by units active in monitoring and tracking CPP-NPA fighters in urban areas. Information about these personalities are shared with the PNP for joint and legitimate law enforcement operations not limited to SPARU units,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS