Manila (AsiaNews /
Agencies) - Hostilities have been
rekindled between the Philippine army and
communist rebels in the north of the country. In the early hours this
morning, New
People's Army guerrillas, including a woman, were killed in a shout
out in the region of Tarlac. "They
are trying to extend their influence in
the north of the country," said military spokesman
Ramon Zagala, in
Manila.
The New
People's Army
is a Communist-inspired rebel front that has been fighting Philippine government
troops since 1968. The thirty
years of strife has resulted in
thousands of deaths and damaged
the economy of rural areas in the
center and north of the country. Despite
the attempts of President Benigno
Aquino, who has made the negotiations one of the first objectives of hismandate, talks failed in April rekindling hostilities
with renewed intensity.
According to data provided by the army,
the military action
of the past 20 years have reduced the number of guerrillas from 26 thousand to no
more than 4 thousand. "To
avoid further loss of life in the crossfire, I invite the rebels to surrender to
justice," Zagala told
AFP.