By Aaron Recuenco
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has suspended all tactical police operations against communist rebels following the government’s declaration of the unilateral truce in order to focus on the response to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa
(Police Regional Office 10 / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said he has instructed all police commanders and district maneuver units not to engage and instead focus on defensive mode in any possible ambush or attacks of the New People’s Army (NPA).
“The operations are shifted to disaster response and public safety mode to enforce the enhanced Luzon-wide community quarantine to contain the spread of COVID-19 upon the government’s declaration of a national state of calamity,” Gamboa said Thursday.
Gamboa’s order for the suspension of police operations against the rebels started at midnight on Wednesday and lasts up to midnight of April 15.
Gamboa explained that diverting police resources previously engaged in running after communist rebels means there would be added manpower to enforce the quarantine protocols in the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.
This includes swift and immediate assistance to patients and persons under investigation and monitoring (PUI/PUM), unimpeded movement of health workers, medical supplies, and other humanitarian assistance, and movement of medical and food products and consumer goods to the local market
“With a ceasefire notwithstanding, PNP units are instructed to maintain defensive vigilance against possible hostile actions by armed threat groups to which appropriate police response is authorized under the Police Operational Procedures,” Gamboa said.
He added that he has instructed the Directorate for Operations to cascade the instructions to all PNP units nationwide, particularly in the Luzon regions, for strict implementation.
The PNP Command Center is tasked to monitor the compliance of all PNP units with the suspension of operations against communist rebels.
Gamboa said they are hopeful that the communist rebels would reciprocate.
President Duterte earlier asked the communist rebels for a ceasefire in the light of the government’s implementation of its response against COVID-19.