The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines will shift their focus to the New People’s Army (NPA) ahead of the upcoming anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). Dionardo Carlos, PNP spokesman, said the police and the military have deployed their units for offensives against the communist rebels, now that they have been officially tagged as “terrorists” by the government. The police force expects the communist armed group to launch its own offensives just before the 49th anniversary of CPP on December 26. The PNP warned financiers of communist groups, or those who provide material and financial help to rebels, that they would be tagged as conspirators, accomplices or accessories to terrorism. On December 5, Duterte declared the NPA and CPP as terrorist groups, under Presidential Proclamation 374.

Source: Manila Times December 18, 2017 16:52 UTC