We commend the comrades’ determination to courageously attack the enemy that operates inside the guerrilla zones and territories of people’s revolutionary government. This victorious offensive by the NPA exposes the AFP and PNP’s deceptive declarations that the NPA in Panay is weakened. The lies propagated through AFP-controlled radio stations, televisions, newspapers and social media accounts include parading of recycled and fake “surrenderees” to make an impression to the public that many NPA Red commanders and fighters are “returning to the folds of the law.” This psywar and defamation campaign cannot cover up casualties inflicted by the NPA through its series of tactical offensives.

The formation of the so-called National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF- ELCAC) and the declaration of NPA as persona non grata is mere psywar. These tactics aim to put pressure on local government units and spread malicious propaganda to convince the public that the NPA is running out of mass support. If the people do not support the NPA, why do the AFP and PNP often get ambushed? Why is it that the NPA seems to determine the time and place of battle? Why is the NPA able to monitor the movement of the AFP and PNP while the NPA’s location remains concealed?

Again, we are confident that the people are more critical and cannot be simply deceived by the enemy’s lies. The people are aware of the root causes of their problems and its solution. And we certainly believe that the masses are the fountain of knowledge and a gigantic power for basic change by advancing the people’s war and the people’s democratic revolution.

Long-live the National Democratic Revolution!