Saturday, July 30, 2016

AFP ready to carry out Duterte's order on ceasefire lifting

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 30): AFP ready to carry out Duterte's order on ceasefire lifting

With President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Saturday ordering the lifting of the unilateral ceasefire against the CPP-NPA-NDF, the AFP said it remains duty bound to comply with any orders issued by the Chief Executive regarding this development.

"The AFP will abide by the ensuing orders of the Commander-in-Chief, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte following this development," AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said.

Duterte declared the unilateral ceasefire against the rebels during his first State-of-the-Nation Address last July 25 in line with achieving the government’s goal of final and lasting peace.

But the Chief Executive ordered the lifting of the unilateral ceasefire that he ordered after the 5 p.m. Saturday ultimatum he gave lapsed without reciprocation from the rebels.

“Correspondingly, I am ordering the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to also withdraw the operational guidelines they issued in pursuance to that ceasefire declaration,” Duterte stressed.

Prior the deadline, the President demanded a concrete explanation from the rebels regarding its July 27 attack against militia units in Kapalong, Davao Del Norte which killed one and wounded four others.

"Opportunity missed! This could have been what the Filipino nation had been waiting for -- the silencing of the guns that could have hastened development especially in the countryside," Arevalo stressed.

As this develops, AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the military was now issuing appropriate orders to all its units nationwide regarding the lifting of the unilateral ceasefire.

"All our forces remain on high alert and will resume to discharge their normal functions and constitutional mandated tasks," he added.

Padilla also said the rebels missed a golden opportunity to manifest their commitment to the attainment of peace.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=908976

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