Aquino to Review Strategy as Rebels’ Violence Flares

President Corazon Aquino returned from an eight-day U.S. visit today to an enthusiastic public welcome and said she will summon government officials and military leaders to review strategy for dealing with communist insurgents who launched a series of attacks during her absence.

“Any killing bothers me,” Aquino told reporters after receiving a report from her Cabinet on the worsening communist rebellion. “That is why it is necessary for us to sit down and discuss the matters thoroughly to decide what measures we will take.”

Authorities said attacks by insurgents in the last week have left more than a dozen people dead, including rebels, soldiers, police and civilians.

Aquino, who has said she prefers to negotiate, did not indicate whether she would order tougher military moves against the rebels. She said the review will include discussion of calls by Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and others to set a deadline for the insurgents to accept a cease-fire.

‘Full-Scale War’

Enrile, who has been skeptical of prospects for a negotiated settlement, said in a speech today that failure to curb the insurgency now could lead to a “point of irreversibility” in four years and move the 17-year-old guerrilla conflict into “a full-scale war.”

The communist-dominated National Democratic Front has rejected a government call for an immediate 30-day cease-fire but has said it is willing to continue talks, which began last month.

Agriculture Minister Ramon Mitra, a member of Aquino’s negotiating team, said the president is determined to arrange a cease-fire before discussing other Communist demands.

The rebels have demanded among other things that the government hand over control of certain areas of the country as a condition for a cease-fire.

Earlier today, Aquino was welcomed at Manila Airport by 300 government officials and close associates and given a 21-gun salute before boarding a bulletproof Jeep for a motorcade back to the palace.

From 25,000 to 50,000 government employees, office workers, students and other supporters lined the route--mobbing her Jeep, showering it with yellow confetti and chanting “Cory, Cory.”

Aquino said on arrival that she thought she established a “personal rapport” with President Reagan and persuaded creditors owed $26.4 billion “to understand the imperative of Philippine growth.” But she added, “Let us not hold our breath for total answers coming from anywhere but our own efforts.”