The Efren Martires Command of the New People’s Army (NPA-EMC) in Eastern Visayas today congratulated the Red fighters for defending the people versus the fascist AFP troops after successfully launching two tactical offensives versus fascist Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) troops in Samar last April 15, “This is the correct response of the revolutionary movement to the warmonger Government of the Republic of the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte who recently voiced his intent to install military men on the peace panel for the negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. This is on top of creating a junta by merging the civilian bureaucracy and military for his ”counter-insurgency” efforts through his whole-of-nation approach. He is thus relinquishing all prospects of a just and lasting peace as he prepares his full-blown dictatorship,” said NPA-EMC spokesperson Ka Karlos Manuel.

According to initial reports, the NPA recently carried out two guerrilla offensives. Red fighters in Northern Samar fired on soldiers of the 543rd Engineering Combat Battalion reportedly inspecting road projects under the “counter-insurgency” Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program in the barangays of San Antonio, Aguinaldo, and San Isidro, Las Navas town at around 11:20 in the morning. Two troopers identified only as Corporal Bueno and Private First Class Labid were killed in the offensive. Meanwhile, PFC Renan Antojado was wounded in a separate ambush by a team of Red fighters in Barangay Literon in Calbiga, Samar, at around 10:20 in the morning. The NPA suffered no casualties in both actions.