Deles asks CPP to extend ceasefire declaration

From the Daily Tribune (Nov 17): Deles asks CPP to extend ceasefire declaration

Peace Adviser Secretary Teresita Deles appealed to the Communist Party of the Philippines-Central Committee (CPP-CC) to extend its ceasefire declaration to be in solidarity “with our suffering sisters and brothers, their children and elders, and their shattered communities.”

“We, therefore, urge the Communist Party of the Philippines to extend a humanitarian ceasefire indefinitely and nationwide and join the rest of the country in mobilizing all necessary resources in a human chain of service to our people.

“We ask them to pick up the tools that give life, help rebuild from destruction, and promote the peace we so badly need in our land,” Deles said.

Deles said that the task is massive.

“Government needs all the help it can get. Indeed, the global community has responded generously,” Deles said.

She said that “never has our motherland been in such a need for national unity since perhaps the Second World War. United, we shall overcome this tragedy. Divided, we shall fail our people.”

Deles said that “we call on all Filipinos to set aside the politics and ideologies that have divided us, and with arms linked kapit-bisig, together surmount this crisis,” OPAPP said.

“We are heartened by the declaration of a ten-day ceasefire in typhoon-affected areas by our brothers and sisters engaged in armed struggle against the government,” OPAPP said.

OPAPP said, ”but the task is huge; it will need more than a token suspension of armed hostilities in a limited area.”

OPAPP said that, “our Armed Forces and police have changed their mode of operations from armed resistance to unarmed resistance, rescue, relief and rehabilitation in Yolanda-affected areas.”

“We invite our brothers and sisters in the New People’s Army to do the same by participating in this national effort. For the sake of our people. In the name of humanity. For peace in our beloved Pilipinas,” Deles said.

On Nov. 14, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines has issued formally a ceasefire declaration to all concerned commands of the New People’s Army (NPA) and people’s militias in areas devastated by the recent supertyphoon Yolanda.

“Concerned NPA units have, as a matter of course, ceased offensive operations since 9 November. This ceasefire declaration will remain in effect up to 2359 hours of Nov. 24, 2013,” the CPP said.

This ceasefire declaration covers the following regional commands of the NPA: Eastern Visayas Regional Command, Panay Regional Command, Central Visayas Regional Command, and Negros Island Command.

“Respective regional commands are also to transmit this ceasefire declaration to the concerned provincial commands of the NPA, namely: Masbate Island Command, Palawan Island Command, Mindoro Island Committee,” the CPP said.

Based on their assessment of the extent of the devastation of the recent supertyphoon in their areas of responsibility, the respective regional commands can extend the effectivity of this ceasefire declaration in their areas of concern, while other regional commands of the NPA can issue similar or limited ceasefire declarations in areas within the scope of their operations.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/deles-asks-cpp-to-extend-ceasefire-declaration