Militant groups welcome Duterte’s unilateral ceasefire with CPP-NPA-NDF

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 25): Militant groups welcome Duterte’s unilateral ceasefire with CPP-NPA-NDF
 

President Rodrigo Duterte’s order of unilateral ceasefire with the CPP-NPA-NDF is a gesture of goodwill, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said Monday.

CPP-NPA-NDF stands for Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army - National Democratic Front.

Wildon Barros, Bayan regional chairman in Northern Mindanao, said that Duterte has shown sincerity in pursuing peace with the CPP-NPA-NDF.

He said that a unilateral ceasefire is a positive start that would lead to a successful peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Barros, however, said that militant and civil society groups in Northern Mindanao still want an assuring response from Duterte about the demands of the farmers and the marginalized groups in the country.

He said that Duterte mentioned only in passing about the groups petition for a “CHANGE” to be thoroughly discussed during the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

CHANGE stands for Cancel all anti-people laws, Health and social services, Address the root-cause of the insurgency war, National Industrialization, Genuine Agrarian Reform, and Education for all.

About 5,000 members of the civil society and progressive groups trooped from various areas in Northern Mindanao trooped to Cagayan De Oro and held a march-rally to dramatize their support of the Duterte SONA.

The group held a peaceful solidarity march-rally toward the city’s downtown area in Divisoria Plaza here.

Among the group who joined the march-rally were the Bayan, Kasama Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental Farmers’ Association, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Kadamay, Gabriela, Kalumbay, and Kabataan.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=907215