MANILA — There's no need for a holiday ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines, as far as the Armed Forces of the Philippines is concerned.

Because of a "leadership vacuum" within the underground organization, there's no guarantee that the communist rebels will comply, according to the AFP.

"We are confident there’s no need for a ceasefire because we don’t know who to talk to. Many of their leaders have been neutralized," AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar told ANC's "Rundown" Tuesday.

"Second, if we are going to have a bilateral ceasefire with the CPP-NPA-NDF, how can they impose that provision of the ceasefire when there is a leadership vacuum within the underground organization?" he added.

Due to AFP's focused-military operations, the guerrilla fronts of the CPP and its armed wing, New People's Army, have been "reduced" to 23 from 89.

"That is why yesterday, it was declared that we have already achieved strategic victory over this armed group," Aguilar said. This means that the CPP-NPA are no longer capable of mounting large-scale offensive.

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What state troops can offer to the communist rebels, Aguilar said, is a suspension of military operations.

"There’s no guarantee actually that the New People’s Army will comply because they don’t have leaders anymore. Many of these are already neutralized," he said.

"That is the reason why, I said before, the most that we can offer is the suspension of military operations so that our forces, our troops can also enjoy the Christmas season with their families."

• CPP-NPA won't declare holiday ceasefire

The CPP earlier said it would not seek a ceasefire with state forces this holiday season following the death of its founder, Jose Maria Sison.

The NPA has been authorized to launch tactical offensives against government forces, it has said.

Sison, who launched one of the world's longest-running Maoist insurgencies, passed away last week at age 83.

The former university professor died in the Netherlands, where he had lived in self-imposed exile since the collapse of peace talks in 1987.

But for Aguilar, the death of Sison will leave the CPP without "sense of purpose and direction".

• Jose Maria Sison, founder of Communist Party of the Philippines, dies at 83

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