Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte urged communist rebels to refrain from attacking energy and communication facilities as the holiday season approaches.

Referring to the New People’s Army, the armed component of the National Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines, Duterte said in a speech on Friday rebels resort to violence if their demands for revolutionary taxes are not met.

These include raiding privately-owned facilities and burning equipment, resulting in millions of pesos in losses for traders.

“The NPA’s style is they don’t get what they want, they’ll burn (the facility),” Duterte said in his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony of Pulanai Hydroelectric Power Plant in Bukidnon on Friday.

He warned the NPA to stop their attacks on installations which helps people.

“Hey! Listen. Don’t mess with the facilities for the people. Energy, communication, everything. Lay off,” said Duterte.

However, suspected NPA members burned a truck carrying rubber cup lumps owned by a businessman in Tuluntan town, North Cotabato on Friday afternoon.

Last year, two units of the Agus Hydroelectric Power Plant were isolated from the Mindanao grid as a transmission tower along the Agus 2-Kibawe 138 KV line in Ramain, Lanao del Sur were bombed on Christmas Eve. Mindanao was placed on power red alert by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

Duterte is known for his close ties with the rebels. During his time as mayor of Davao City, he facilitated the release of policemen and soldiers in the NPA custody.

The government is holding peace talks with the rebels in the hopes of ending the decades old insurgency.

The CPP has yet to respond to Duterte’s latest call. A unilateral ceasefire is currently in place although there have been reports of atrocities such as burning of heavy equipment which police and military officials attributed to the NPA. Emmanuel Tupas/DMS