After President Duterte ordered last night the lifting of
the government's unilateral ceasefire, the leadership of the Communist Party of
the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF)
announced through the media its belated but still strategic and awaited
decision to also declare its own unilateral ceasefire.
Indeed, this is a welcome development. It affirms the value
of the President's firm actions for peace. This is what we have been waiting
for.
Let me state the chronological facts.
On 25 July, during the State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA),
the President declared a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP/NPA/NDF “in order to
stop violence on the ground, safeguard the citizenry, and provide an enabling
environment for the resumption of peace negotiation."
Consistent with previous unilateral ceasefires, like during
Christmas holidays, there was high expectation that the National Democratic
Front would forthwith and immediately announce also its own as positive
response to the President's declaration. This was precisely the reason for the
President's statement in the SONA that he was calling on and expecting the NDF
“to respond accordingly.”
The following day, July 26, the NDF, instead of issuing its
expected declaration said they could not do so as yet as they were waiting for
the precise written orders on the ceasefire. In immediate response, the Armed
Forces of the Philippines Utrecht ,
the Netherlands
The following day, July 27, a fire fight happened between
the NPAs and elements of the AFP civilian auxiliary in Davao del Norte,
resulting to the death of a civilian auxiliary force member and the wounding of
3 others. The President then called on the CPP/NPA/NDF again to explain why
this happened in the midst of his ceasefire declaration.
He gave the NDF the end of the following day, July 28, to do
so. Still the expected declaration was not issued.
The following day, July 29, during the President's visit in
a military camp in Asuncion, Davao del Norte, he lamented the unnecessary loss
of lives and publicly asked again the NDF to issue its own declaration of
unilateral ceasefire to avoid similar incidents to happen. Although already
obviously disappointed and exasperated, he announced 5 o'clock the following
day, July 30, as a final deadline otherwise he would lift the government's
ceasefire in order to further secure the civilians and secure the peace.
By 5 o'clock in the afternoon of July 30, the final deadline
the President announced lapsed and still there was no declaration from the NDF.
But the President still patiently waited.
In the meantime, disturbing messages from the ranks of the
NPA were monitored. Its Southern Mindanao Regional Command claimed the
government's unilateral ceasefire was “non-existent” as it also blamed the AFP
as “sabotaging” the ceasefire. Its leadership also belittled the efforts of the
President, saying that he could not dictate on the revolutionaries.
By 7 pm, knowing that an unanswered ceasefire declaration
was not for the best interest of the nation, the President then authorized the
release of a statement declaring the lifting of the ceasefire.
However, after an hour thereafter, past the deadline and
evidently informed of the President's announced position, the NDF publicly
stated in the media that it was already ready to issue its own corresponding
ceasefire declaration.
From the above, it is very clear that the President walked
the extra mile for peace. And no doubt, he will still continue to do so at any
given opportunity.
I will make my corresponding recommendations to the
President and the whole Cabinet tomorrow, Monday, August 1, during the
scheduled Cabinet meeting in the afternoon.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=909126
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