While the New People’s Army (NPA) steps up their attacks against the government, Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that the administration is always ready to repel rebel attacks at all times.

“The CPP [Communist Party of the Philippines]-NPA has already stepped up attacks even before they ordered anything. They have been attacking the cell sites of Globe. They have been extorting money from the farmers, even from the people they’re supposed to protect. That’s not surprising for us to learn about this new step up in their attacks against the government. But, we, in government, are prepared to defend ourselves, defend the civilian population, and this again runs counter to their desire, sincerity to pursue peace with the government,” he said.

Lacierda said that CPP-NPA should explain themselves since President Benigno Aquino 3rd said earlier that the National Democratic Front (NDF) is keen on renewing dialogues with the government.

“On one hand, they’re saying that, ‘we want peace,’ and they expressed that they desire peace. On the other hand, they just ordered a stepped up attack. By the way the attacks on the cell sites in Mindanao, they continue. The extortion of the poor, it continues. So if they really want to show sincerity they should stop all these illegal and criminal activities,” he added.

In a statement, CPP calls on the NPA to intensify tactical offensives against government forces after the killing innocent members of a B’laan family last week in Davao del Sur province. The order came two months before the 44th founding anniversary of the CPP on December 26, 2012.

“The Communist Party of the Philippines calls on the New People’s Army to carry out tactical offensives in order to punish human rights violators and the most brutal armed units of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] for their grave crimes against the people,” the CPP said.

On October 18, a pregnant mother, Jovy Malid-Capion, and her two sons, age 13 and 8, were killed in a firefight between soldiers of the 27th Infantry Battalion and at least five rebels in Brgy. Kiblawis, Kiblawan, Davao del Sur.

“The killing of the Capion family was carried out by the Aquino regime’s armed men at the behest of the Xstrata-SMI mining company. Over the past decade, a number of B’laan tribes people have been victims of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights by state agents. The B’laan have been actively opposing the entry of the Xstrata-SMI gold and copper mining operations . . . The B’laan have been waging armed resistance against Xstrata-SMI through their Red Pangayaw armed militias, to which Daguil Capion belongs,” it added.

The CPP also held responsible the Aquino administration for the killing of the Lotino family in Daraga, Albay province, in October 2010; the killing of members of the Mancera family in Labo, Camarines Norte province, in February 2012; and the related killing of Barangay Official Merlyn Bermas and Gerard Oreza, a 4-year-old child who happened to be riding in the same vehicle, in August 2012; the killing of two hunters in Magdalena, Laguna province, in February 2012; and the killing of botanist Leonardo Co and two of his companions in Kananga, Leyte province in November 2010.

Earlier, the President said that the government was willing to go back to the negotiating table with the NDF, the political arm of the CPP-NPA, but he “tends to be pessimistic” on the subject.

“There is some reason to believe that we are moving forward, in terms of the dialogue and the efforts that we are trying to achieve settlement also with the CPP-NPA-NDF,” Mr. Aquino said.