President Rodrigo R. Duterte is still giving a window of
opportunity for the National Democratic Front (NDF) to explain the ambush of
the government militiamen, a Palace official said on Friday.
”I don’t have a timeline for that but he is giving a window.
Based from his statement he is giving a window of opportunity,” Presidential
Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing in Malacanang.
He, however, clarified that “there is a very brief window of
opportunity.”
Last Thursday, President Duterte gave the NDF until midnight
of Thursday to explain the killing of one militiaman and wounding four other
members of the Cafgu Active Auxiliary (CAA) in an ambush staged by the New
People’s Army last Wednesday in Davao del Norte.
”The President is very rational person and he will do what
needs to be done,” he said.
The ambush happened a day after the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) suspended its military operations against the rebels in
response to the unilateral ceasefire declared by the President in his first
State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) welcomed the
ceasefire but asked for the release of the political prisoners.
Abella clarified that the CPP’s requests are not
preconditions but “part of the negotiations.”
”They’re supposed to be reciprocating as soon as possible,”
Abella told the Palace mediamen.
Abella said government peace panel chair Secretary Silvestro
Bello III has expressed sadness over the ambush of the government troops.
”As soon as the trust is restored, the things will proceed
as agreed upon,” Abella said.
The Palace spokesman said he expects the scheduled peace
talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF on Aug. 20 to “work out as planned.”
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=908618
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