The Philippine rebel group of the New People's Army (NPA) on Monday announced a temporary cease of all hostilities in observance of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, a local radio reported Monday.

NPA spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal told radio dzMM that the group usually implements cease-fire to show respect for sacred occasions.

But Rosal said that the NPA members would still be vigilant and would carry out death sentences to persons included in their hitlist if they are seen visiting cemeteries.

However, in another statement, the rebels vowed intensified armed offensives and protest actions against the government.

Jose Buenaobra, spokesman of the NPA's command based in the Bicol region, said the stepped-up attacks would target the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit.

"Revolutionary forces should take advantage of the worsening crisis to awaken, organize and mobilize the public against the rotten and anti-poor government," he said.

Last week, the military was placed on "red alert" amid a corruption controversy aroused by its ex-comptroller, Major General Carlos Garcia.

The NPA urged government troops disgruntled with the Garcia case to "explore different levels of cooperation" with them.

"You can form overt and covert organizations to air your grievances. You can also break away from the AFP and join the NPA," Buenaobra said.

A fresh round of negotiations between the Philippine government and the NPA's political wing, the National Democratic Front (NDF),in Norway did not push through in August due to the NDF's apparent dissatisfaction with the government's efforts to remove the NPA from the list of terrorist groups of the United States and the European Union.

The currently 8,600-strong NPA have been waging a 35-year insurgency in the remote areas in the Philippines.

Source: Xinhua