The Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed seasoned retired police officials to train field units in going against the New People’s Army (NPA) which has stepped up its attacks against government forces.

PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa said that the primary lesson that the group of former police officials will impart to the younger set of police personnel is how to protect and defend themselves against the SPARU or the NPA’s special partisan armed regional unit.

At a press briefing on Thursday, Dela Rosa said that the PNP has an ongoing reorientation of policemen on the field as part of, “anti-SPARU operations so we would not end up victims of SPARU operations.”

“We have seasoned retired police officers, who were commissioned by the President himself, to orient young officers who lack exposure in fighting insurgency,” he pointed out.

He added, “They will share what they know to make young policemen aware of the modus operandi of SPARU operations. They are going around, giving education.”

The PNP chief said that there were around ten former police officials going around the country teaching young policemen how to effectively carry out operations against the NPA which has increased its assault against police and military units.

Dela Rosa noted that most of the attacks were in Northern Mindanao, the Davao region, Caraga and parts of Soccsksargen, observing that the SPARU heightened its attacks immediately after President Duterte called off peace talks with the communist rebels.

“They want to prove something, that they are a force to be reckoned with so they stepped up their SPARU operations,” he stressed.

“But then again, I am sorry to tell them, they will find it difficult because now is unlike the situation in the early 80s where they had mass-based support especially in the slum areas. All it takes is a text message and they will no longer have control over an area,” the PNP chief said.

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