The PNP’s declaration of Suspension of Police Operations (SOPO) came as both the military and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) have already declared their respective ceasefires in the spirit of the Yuletide season.

Director General Raul Bacalzo, PNP chief, said he has already instructed all his police commanders to refrain from initiating operations against communist rebels effective 12:01 a.m. of December 16 until midnight of January 3 next year.

“All police units nationwide have been ordered to refrain from initiating offensive police operations against the communist New People’s Army in observance of the traditional Yuletide ceasefire,” said Bacalzo.

The order also covers the commanders of the PNP’s elite Special Action Force (SAF) which has been at the forefront of the police’s anti-communist insurgency operations in far-flung areas.

Bacalzo said he was the first to be elated by the gesture from both the national leadership and the CPP-NPA to declare suspension of tactical offensives.

Bacalzo said that the move would be a good gesture that reflects the true meaning of Christmas as they would not worry much of attacks from communist rebels in far-flung areas in the country.

“This is good for our policemen because they would be given a much-deserve break this Christmas, this is also a good gesture of unity,” said Bacalzo.

But Bacalzo was quick to clarify that they will be on defensive mode at the span of the 19-day truce, adding that it will not also prevent them from continuing their normal law enforcement operations.

“The SOPO shall not cover normal law enforcement operations and shall be implemented without prejudice to actions aimed at protecting the people and the communities, as well as PNP troops and installations against insurgent or terrorist attacks that may take place during the SOPO period,” Bacalzo said.

“I have alerted all PNP units to remain on guard and maintain a high state of readiness to respond to hostile actions by domestic threat groups,” the official added.

Communist rebels have intensified their offensives in the past days prior to their truce, what with the spate of harassment of local firms and even ambush against government troopers.

Among the areas considered as NPA-infested are some parts of Southern Luzon and Bicol, Eastern Visayas and several parts of eastern Mindanao, particularly Compostela Valley province and nearby areas.

Security officials earlier revealed that they are now modifying their campaign plan against communist rebels after failing to meet their 2010 deadline to defeat the NPA.

Aaron Recuenco, Manila Bulletin