Truce with Reds to last only 6 days

From Malaya Business Insight (Dec 22): Truce with Reds to last only 6 days

GOVERNMENT’S Yuletide truce with the communist New People’s Army was shortened from the 10 days first announced by Malacañang, and will be implemented in two parts.

The ceasefire will be from 6 p.m. of December 23 to 11:59 p.m. of December 26, then at 6 p.m. of December 30 to 11:59 p.m. of January 2, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said yesterday.

Roque said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea informed him of the truce schedule yesterday morning.

Roque on Wednesday said the truce will be from December 24 to January 2. Yesterday, Roque said he was not aware why the truce period was shortened but said “it is always the President’s prerogative to change his decision.”

“That’s part of executive power,” he also said.

Arsenio Andolong, spokesman of the Department of Defense, said government declared the ceasefire to allow soldiers to be with their loved ones on Christmas and New Year’s days.

Reminded the NPA has been classified by the President as a terrorist organization, Andolong said: “This (ceasefire) not for the NPA. This is for the benefit of soldiers who want to go on leave, go on R&R (rest and recreation) with the families,” he said.

“Whether they are terrorists or not, it’s immaterial. This was declared so soldiers who want to go on vacation can go on vacation. But it’s no excuse to stand down with our current (alert) status,” said Andolong.

President Duterte formally terminated peace negotiations with the communists on November 23 after a series of NPA attacks, even while the peace talks were ongoing. Early this month, he classified the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines as terrorist organizations.

Andolong said that during the truce, soldiers will not conduct combat operations against the NPA but will also be on the “defensive” mode to prevent possible rebel attacks.


“We also directed our defenders (soldiers) to maintain their vigilance and be mindful of their safety in their areas of responsibility during the ceasefire,” he also said.

Andolong urged NPA members to go home and spend the holidays with their families.

“We urge those who are waging war against our sovereign government and inflicting harm on the Filipino people to spend this period in reflection and seriously reconsider returning to the fold of law,” he said.

Roque said government is hoping that the CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front of the Philippines would reciprocate the truce declaration.

He dismissed the claim of CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison that the holiday truce declared by Duterte is a sham.

“If Joma Sison did not feel any spirit of Christmas because of the (truce), well, I feel sorry for him... That’s what happens when you’re not here in the Philippines anyway,” he said.

Sison has been on self-exile in the Netherlands since the late 80s.

Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza and Roque Jr. expressed hope the communist group would reciprocate, if not respect the observance of the truce.

Roque said the President “has no expectations” from the CPP-NPA-NDFP but Duterte is “hopeful” that they communist rebels would at least respect the ceasefire.

“If not, then it will prove what he has been saying all along that the NPA are treacherous. So the ball is in the court of the NPA,” he said.

The President terminated the peace talks with the communist rebels and later declared the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/truce-reds-last-only-6-days