In order to preserve law and order in the country, President Duterte has issued a "shoot to kill" order against armed members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), National Security Adviser (NSA) Hermogenes Esperon Jr. revealed on Tuesday, March 9.
"In the name of law and order, binitawan na ang shoot to kill order against armed CPP-NPA members (In the name of law and order, the shoot-to-kill order against armed CPP-NPA members was already issued)," he said at the "Laging Handa" press briefing.
He explained that the President made the instruction as he prioritizes the lives of state forces than the enemies of the State in case of armed encounters.
"Talagang shoot on-site. Iyon talaga ang magandang order ng Pangulo (It really should be a shoot on-site. That's a good order from the President)," Esperon said.
The Presidential security adviser's revelation came days after the military and police jointly conducted a series of operations in the provinces of Cavite, Batangas, Rizal and Laguna on March 7 which led to the death of nine activists and arrest of six others -- all of whom were suspected of having links to the CPP-NPA.
Two days since, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has yet to issue details of the said operations.
But Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Debold Sinas insisted on March 8 that the series of operations, which he dubbed as "Oplan Asval," was legitimate and covered by at least 24 search warrants.
Vice President Leni Robredo called the Duterte administration a "murderous regime" while several opposition lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives expressed rage as they urged the military and police to explain the law enforcement operations.
Meanwhile, the CPP Central Committee said the state forces responsible for the deaths of the activists should be "punished" for the deaths of the victims, whom it identified as peasant leaders and activists.
Marco Valbuena, CPP information officer, said the Party will start deploying its Special Partisan Units (SPARUs), its own hit squad, to mount tactical offensives against the soldiers and cops behind the deadly operations.
"Concerned NPA units can take the initiative to mount these actions at the soonest time possible," he said.
Last March 5, Duterte ordered the military and police to "shoot" and "kill" rebel communists "if you see them holding arms."
The national government has waged an "all out war" against communism groups, starting by forming in 2018 the National Task Force to End Local communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), a national anti-communist task force, after the failed peace talks with the CPP-NPA.