AFP reports 9 NPA ceasefire violations

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 16): AFP reports 9 NPA ceasefire violations

The communist New People’s Army (NPA) committed at least nine violations of the holiday ceasefire agreement with the government, which officially ended midnight Tuesday, resulting in the killing of at least three people, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported yesterday. AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said the military recorded three ceasefire violations by the NPA in Southern Luzon areas and six in Eastern Mindanao. “The suspension of offensive operations will end midnight (Tuesday) and based on the reports from the field we have recorded nine violations of the ceasefire by the NPA,” Burgos said. He said the military committed no violation of the truce.

“Although the extended holiday ceasefire arrangement has expired today, the AFP will continue to hope for a longer and more permanent peace to be observed not only during holidays or times of disaster,” Burgos said. “We hope that the rebels will altogether abandon the armed violence that has caused suffering to rural communities and indigenous peoples, destroyed infrastructures and hampered the growth of our nation,” he added. The military initially declared a Yuletide truce with the NPA from Dec. 15 to Jan. 3 and it was extended to Jan. 15 in compliance to the agreement of the government and National Democratic Front (NDF) peace panels in The Hague. The NPA’s own ceasefire lasted from Dec. 20 to Jan. 15.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/9229-afp-reports-9-npa-ceasefire-violations