NDF to recommend shortened truce, cites lack of govt reciprocity

From InterAksyon (Jan 1): NDF to recommend shortened truce, cites lack of govt reciprocity

The National Democratic Front said it is recommending that communist rebels cut short the 27-day ceasefire they had earlier declared, accusing President Benigno Aquino III of failing to respect an agreement reached in The Netherlands last month for government to announce a similar truce. In a statement released New Year’s Day, Luis Jalandoni, chairman of the NDF peace negotiating panel, said: “ Without the corresponding GPH (government of the Philippine) declaration of ceasefire until January 15, 2013, the NDFP Negotiating Panel can only recommend a ceasefire until January 2, 2013, the end date announced by the GPH in its declaration of suspension of offensive military operations (SOMO).” The military’s SOMO began December 16.

The agreement for a mutual ceasefire from December 20 to January 15 was forged on December 18 in talks at the Norwegian embassy in The Hague and was announced in a press communiqué authenticated by Ambassador Tore Lundh, the Norwegian official who facilitates negotiations between the government and the rebels. Among the government’s “special representatives” to the talks were presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas and chief government negotiator Alex Padilla.

The truce would have been the longest ever between the two parties. It would also have extended a unilateral ceasefire declared even earlier -- on December 5 -- by the NDF in Mindanao soon after typhoon “Pablo” struck the southern Philippines.

The Communist Party of the Philippines formally announced the ceasefire on December 20 while the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process posted an article on its website on the same day announcing the agreement. But the rebels apparently expected Aquino to make a formal declaration. Jalandoni called Aquino’s failure “most regrettable” and “ a major loss of opportunity to move the GPH-NDFP peace negotiations forward.” Both the rebels and government have accused each other’s forces of violating their respective ceasefires.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/51700/ndf-to-recommend-shortened-truce-cites-lack-of-govt-reciprocity