Philippines: On 56th anniversary, CPP directs NPA to advance revolutionary war
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines has directed its entire membership and the New People’s Army to frustrate the AFP’s all-out war in a statement issued today, December 26, to mark its 56th founding anniversary.
“We are determined to frustrate the enemy’s all-out war, recover from our losses, gain new victories and advance the Filipino people’s revolutionary resistance,” it declared. The Party credited the ongoing internal rectification movement for its current strength in overcoming errors and shortcomings in the past years.
Earlier, the CPP belied the AFP’s claims that the NPA is down to “one weakened front.” While acknowledging “grave losses and reversals in some regions and guerilla fronts,” the Central Committee said NPA units have “quickly reorganized and redeployed in line with the rectification movement” and have made gains in recovering and expanding the mass base.
The CPP said that guerrilla units of the NPA are now “creatively and wisely exercising flexibility,” and frustrating much of the enemy’s strategy of gradual constriction and sustained military operations.
“The Party’s rectification movement has inspired the Red fighters of the New People’s Army to persevere along the arduous path of the protracted people’s war to rebuild and expand the mass base, defend the people against state terrorism, preserve and strengthen the NPA, and frustrate the enemy’s strategic offensives,” it declared.
It directed the NPA to “take the initiative to mount tactical offensives, selecting targets that it can defeat.” To deepen its ties with the masses, the Party directed the people’s army to “render economic, health and education services to the peasant masses, while guiding them in waging anti-feudal struggles.”
At the same time, the Party called on members to “conscientiously build or rebuild the underground movement” as these are the “ready pool of Party recruits.”
“The underground movement must be expanded in order to help conceal and secure the leading Party cadres and organizers. At the same time, it must carry out widespread revolutionary propaganda to broadcast the call for people’s war to rouse the people to support and join the New People’s Army,” it said.