Ka Roger Confirms: No Christmas Ceasefire

There is definitely no ceasefire this December, Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, spokesman of the Communist Party of the Philippines told newsmen in a press conference held over the weekend. The CPP spokesman’s declaration thus coincides with President  Macapagal-Arroyo’s earlier statement that a ceasefire will only break the momentum of her troops’ offensive operations against Leftist guerrillas.

By Bulatlat.com 
Somewhere in the Bicol Region 

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) spokesman Gregorio “Ka (comrade) Roger” Rosal confirmed Dec. 7 that the New People’s Army, CPP’s armed wing will not silence its guns this Christmas. This departs from the traditional formal ceasefire declared by both the npa and afp every year.

In a press conference held somewhere in the Bicol region, Rosal said that with the afp’s unrelenting armed operations, the people in the countryside will have a better Christmas if the npa can launch offensives to defend them or deter afp assaults.

“Ang kanayunan ay mas makapag-e-enjoy sa kapaskuhan ngayon kung walang ceasefire,” said Rosal.

The cpp’s decision to break what has become a traditional truce came after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo told media that she is inclined not to declare a ceasefire this year. The President said she did not want the momentum of the military’s counter insurgency operation to be stopped.

File photo of Ka Roger

Rosal cited as reasons government’s recent actions that strengthen its alleged puppetry to the United States, foremost of which is the “treacherous signing of the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) last Nov. 21.

He called the approval of the MLSA by government and called the President a “terrorist lover” because of her loyalty to the U.S., the “super terrorist.”

“Revolutionaries are not terrorists”

Rosal also stressed that waging armed revolution is not terrorism and that terrorism is in fact against the cpp’s revolutionary principles.

“Hindi yayakapin ng mamamayan at hindi magtatagumpay ang rebolusyon kung ito’y maghahasik ng terorismo. Ang terorista ay hindi makakakuha ng suporta ng mamamayan” (The people will not embrace terrorism and the revolution won’t win if it uses terrorism. Terrorists can never gain the people’s support), he said.

He also reiterated that, contrary to government propaganda, the NPA only attacks legitimate military targets.

Throughout the media conference, Rosal made a running joke about the U.S. government’s terrorist tag on the CPP, teasing journalists about their consorting with the “terrorists.”

“Easy targets”

Rosal said the npa is continuously studying U.S. military policies in the Philippines and how the npa will deal with them as well as with U.S.-trained and armed Filipino troops.

But definitely, he said, U.S. soldiers who will intrude into guerrilla zones are a fair target of  npa military operations.

He recounted the joke circulating among npa guerrillas that American soldiers are easy targets (“magandang tatamaan”) because they stand out in the crowd and have bigger body frames.

Rosal also dismissed the military equipment that the U.S. has given the afp, calling them old and broken.

He stressed that the support of the masses is what will determine the outcome of the revolution, not the U.S.-supplied equipment or the participation of the U.S. troops.

Tears for Southern Tagalog

The communist leader became tearful when he talked about the alleged massive human rights violations in Southern Tagalog. Rosal was the former head of the npa’s Melito Glor Command which operates in the region.

The press conference was Rosal’s first since the late ‘90s when he suffered a mild stroke. Rosal said his comrades forced him to take a leave from his work as spokesman of the 34-year old Community Party so he could rest.

The media conference formally started 3 p.m. last Saturday and held in a makeshift tent with the cpp flag and panels decorated with drawings of armalites and the words “Mabuhay ang cpp-npa! Mabuhay ang Sambayan!” (Long Live the CPP! Long Live the People!) at the background. The activity was guarded by undetermined number of npa guerrillas.

An npa squad accommodated request of photographers and TV crew to execute a short military drill.

In the evening, communist guerrillas recited and sang revolutionary poems and songs. Media members gamely joined. Rosal himself sang a few songs including a duet with an RMN broadcast journalist of the song “impossible dream.” Bulatlat.com

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