Government of the Philippines (GPH) Peace Panel Chair and
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III expressed disappointment over the ambush of
government troops by members of the New People’s Army (NPA), Presidential
Spokesperson Ernesto Abella announced during the press briefing on Friday.
The ambush took place in Sitio Pati, Barangay Gupitan, Davao
del Norte, resulting in the death of a Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit
(CAFGU) member and the wounding of four others on July 27.
This came barely two days after President Rodrigo Duterte
declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP), National Democratic Front (NDF), and NPA during his first State of the
Nation Address.
“I strongly reiterate the call of President Duterte to the
CPP/NPA/NDF to reciprocate government’s ceasefire declaration in order to
immediately stop violence on the ground, protect our communities from conflict,
and provide an enabling environment for the resumption of formal peace
negotiations,” Bello
In the meantime, the government will wait for the results of
the NDF’s verification. The Palace official said the President has given the
NDF a “small window of opportunity,” though there was no timeline set.
As for the release of political prisoners and pullout of
government troops in NPA-infested areas, the Presidential Spokesperson said,
“if things work out according to plan, there will be a reciprocal response from
the President, from the government.”
Abella added, “As soon as the trust is restored, things will
proceed as agreed upon.”
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=908634
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