Despite four New People's Army (NPA) attacks during the
Yuletide truce, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is still hopeful the
rebels will negotiate with the government for lasting and genuine peace.
"We are serious about talking peace, we are not
recording the errors they committed, as part of the grounds we can use not to
initiate talks," AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla said in an
interview.
The rebels conducted three harassment attacks in military
units in eastern Mindanao last Dec. 23 and
another raid in the Southern Luzon Command last Jan. 1.
All attacks were repelled without serious losses to
government forces.
This is in violation of the rebel-declared truce which
started last Dec. 23 and ended midnight of Jan. 3.
Despite breaking their word, Padilla said the government
remains committed to forging a lasting peace pact with the rebels.
"Our national government remains on the negotiating
table, so if they are serious, they should come back," he said.
Padilla added there is a "good side" to the
Yuletide season harassment as it indicated rebel leaders have lost some of
control on their operatives on the ground.
"So this is a sign that we have to see as an opening,
that we should negotiate with those on the ground instead of negotiating with
those up there," he said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=843385
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