The NDFP-Ilocos condemns the continuing all-out war of the US-Duterte regime especially in this time of a worldwide public health emergency. The fascist regime has not let go of its war against the people through focused military operations (FMO) and retooled commmunity support program (RCSP) for its intelligence operations, red-baiting, forced and fake surrender campaings and psywar across the region.

The Alfredo Cesar Command-New People’s Army Ilocos confirms that they have encountered joint combat operating troops of the 7th ID PA and PNP RMFB on April 21, 2020 near Barangay Patiacan, Quirino, Ilocos Sur. This was bound to happen as the fascist regime pursued its FMO and RCSP in the Ilocos Region while the NPA was in active defense in response to the ceasefire extension order of the Communist Party of the Philippines to further respond to the needs of the people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and Duterte’s militarist lockdown.

As early as April 10, the US-Duterte regime has resumed its intelligence and combat operations in the boundaries of Ilocos Sur and Abra, and deployed military forces under the 7th Infantry Division, and as well as police combat troops, drones, and helicopters. This is a clear violation of its own ceasefire declaration that lasted until April 15.

Duterte covers up his failure to properly address the COVID pandemic and his ambitious desire to defeat the revolutionary forces by blaming the restive people, arresting and threatening to kill the hungry and desperate, and malicously propagating false news against thd revolutionary forces.

Duterte was granted additional special powers by his rubber stamp congress to supposedly respond to the alarming public health emergency and the great demands to support livelihood and provide for the basic needs of the people. But he refuses to tap the public funds allocated for his anti-people war — huge budget for combat operations and procurement of military equipments. Each brigade-size focused military operation that lasts for at least two weeks spends around P4-6 million. Duterte did not even reciprocate the CPP’s ceasefire extension until April 30. Instead of pouring all possible resources to deliver effective and appropriate health service and livelihood support for the people, Duterte resorted to accumulating more loans from imperialists, such as the PhP 5 billion loan from the WorldBank, which ties the country to new set of lopsided deals. The fascist regime again began to play fake news against the NPA, such as incidents of violating the ceasefire and high-jacking relief goods, as a tactic to mindset the public and to justify his impending formal declaration of a nationwide martial law.

With the undeniably worsening socio-economic crisis, Duterte is evermore desparate to extend its tyrannical rule by outrightly attacking all its opposition, repressing the democratic rights of the people, and launching an all-out war against the entire Filipino people. But the people will not be deceived nor cowed. Only the end of this warmonger puppet regime will end the massive threat against the people.

The NDFP-Ilocos calls for the end of the FMO, RCSP, and all other counter-insurgency campaigns of the US-Duterte regime in the region, and demands justice for all the atrocities and human rights violations of the state forces.

The NDFP-Ilocos calls for the unity and action of all democratic forces and the all-out support of allied forces to collectively surpass the COVID pandemic and fight against the state terrorism of the US-Duterte regime. #