Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has ordered all police units, especially in areas where the communist rebels operate, to secure telecommunication towers and other vital installations as these could be targeted to mark the 54th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Dec. 26.
Azurin said he already alerted all police units against possible attacks of the CPP's armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), especially with the death of Jose Maria "Joma" Sison.
"We already directed all PNP units to be alert not only in their stations but also, they should guard different establishments like the towers of Globe and Smart," said Azurin.
The towers of the two telecom giants used to be the favorite targets of the NPA for their alleged refusal to pay revolutionary taxes.
The attacks made the government, especially the military, to come up with security measures to protect them especially in far-flung areas.
"The facilities that used to be targets of the CPP-NPA could be targeted anew to send a message that they are still around," said Azurin.
Security experts said the death of Joma Sison is a big leadership problem for the CPP-NPA since there is no other leader in its current hierarchy that has the charisma and clout like that of Sison.
The closest replacements, Wilma and Benito Tiamzon, were reported to have died in an encounter with the military a few months ago.
Azurin said he also directed PNP area commanders to coordinate with their military counterparts to maximize the security of their respective areas of responsibility.
But so far, he said they have not monitored any serious threat from the CPp-NPA.
"But we should not be complacent because any minute or any hour, it could change and for the sake of sending a message that they (communist rebels) are still around, they could create trouble," said Azurin.