Palace to Reds: Prove your sincerity

From ABS-CBN (Jan 5): Palace to Reds: Prove your sincerity

Malacanang said it is up to the Communist Party of the Philippines to prove that it is sincere in conducting peace talks with the government following attacks of the New People's Army amid a ceasefire.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the attacks were unjustified.

"If your spirit is to negotiate, if your spirit is to start the peace process, then it behooves you to make sure that the people on the ground are also earnestly seeking the restarting or the resumption of the peace talks," Lacierda said.

Despite the holiday ceasefire declared by the military, three soldiers were ambushed by suspected NPA rebels in Compostela Valley on last December 29.

First Lieutenant Vergel Lacambra, spokesman of the Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division, said the soldiers -- one lieutenant, one private first class, one Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) member -- were all unarmed when about 8 suspected NPA rebels shot them dead.

He said the victims were riding a motorcycle in the town of Mabini when they were shot by the suspects.

The soldiers were all shot in the head by the suspects after they fell from the motorcycle because of the initial shots.

The incident happened while the military's ceasefire or SOMO (Suspension of Offensive Military Operations) was in effect.

The SOMO runs from midnight of December 18, 2014 to midnight of January 19, 2015.

Meanwhile, the staggered ceasefire declared by the NPA runs from December 24-26, 2014 and December 31, 2014 to January 1, 15-19, 2015.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/01/05/15/palace-reds-prove-your-sincerity