THE 18-day unilateral ceasefire or suspension of military offensive (SOMO) declared by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with the New People’s Army (NPA) is a privilege granted to rebels who wanted to be with their families during the Christmas season but it does not restrict the military from doing its security-related tasks.

Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. AFP spokesman issued the clarification on Sunday, saying that the prohibition is only set on the conduct of “deliberate” offensive operation such as combat operations.

However, Burgos stressed that the armed forces can still perform their routine security patrols within the necessary protective radius, which is aimed to protect communities, government establishments, investment and economic facilities, vital structures and military camps and detachments.

He explained that the radius of protection depends on the size of the establishments and on the extent of the threat.

“We can still conduct route security to protect military and civilian movements, particularly he movement of relief goods and everything. We must ensure that it is unhampered, and then checkpoint operations in coordination with the PNP to deter terrorism and to deter loose firearms and explosives,” Burgos said.

“What we are doing is proactive defense counter measures,” he added.

The AFP spokesman also pointed out that the SOMO does not give the rebels or any other unauthorized group or persons the authority to carry firearms lest they be considered security threats and would be arrested.

“First, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is mandated to enforce the law and the only ones authorized to bear firearms are law enforcement agencies. That means we are duty bound to enforce the law and to effect apprehension and arrest if crime is being committed around you,” Burgos said.

“The very purpose of the enforcement of SOMO is for them to have the opportunity to spend the Christmas season with their families, go down, so that they will be realizing what is missing from them by waging the armed violence,” he added.

The SOMO was announced by the Armed Forces on Saturday. It would be effective starting midnight of December16 up to 1 a.m. of January 3.