ReliefWeb

Tacloban City (December 26) -- Major General Arthur Tabaquero, Commander of the 8th Infantry Division based in Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City, has directed the military operatives to enhance defense measures in its area of jurisdiction in order to prevent any attack attempt by the rebels.

Major General Tabaquero gave the directive to the troops under his command, in connection with the 41st anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on December 26.

Furthermore, the 8th ID Commander placed the entire military troops under the 8th Infantry Division under alert status, Lt. Colonel Armand Rico, the military spokesman informed.

"Despite the ceasefire, the military authorities must not be overconfident but remain vigilant because the New People's Army usually commemorate the founding anniversary of CPP by conducting tactical offensives against government and private installations or by killing military spies and civilians who are against revolutionary activities," Major General Tabaquero said.

The good general cited the recent treachery of the rebel bandits who camouflaged as soldiers and media practitioners when they raided the San Narciso Police Station in Quezon province and looted various kinds of firearms.

General Tabaquero also cited the kidnapping and killing of Mr. Baltazar Gubala, a high school teacher and CAT commandant at the Oras National Agricultural School on December 17.

He also mentioned the rebel attacks at the Kalayan Barangay project sites of the Army engineers, the most recent one even claimed the life of an innocent and non-combatant army engineer.

It would be recalled that the Communist Party of the Philippines is the political arm of the communist New People's Army.

Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo accepted the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to declare six days unilateral ceasefire with the rebels which started on December 24 to 26 and on December 31, 2009 to January 2, 2010. (PIA 8)