Perhaps not, according to Jose Maria “Joma” Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), who lashed out against the lifting of the unilateral ceasefire by President Rodrigo Duterte.
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“I am ordering all our forces to resume their normal mandated tasks and work to neutralize all threats to national security, protect the citizenry, enforce the laws and maintain peace in the land”, he added.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the President should have imposed a deadline for the CPP-NPA to declare a ceasefire, before coming out with the order for a unilateral ceasefire during his State of the Nation Address. Two days later, however, rebels killed a government militiaman and wounded four others in southern Davao del Norte province, angering Duterte, who gave the rebels until 5 p.m. Saturday to declare their own cease-fire.
Aris Francisco, spokesperson of the the NPA’s Comval North Davao South Agusan Sub-regional Command, owned up Wednesday’s ambush of what they claim to be members of the Alamara paramilitary.
The President also ordered 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.
With the peace talks set to begin on August 20 in Oslo, Norway, the President promised the military leadership of an additional 10,000 soldiers by the end of the year, backed by a full budget.
In a separate statement issued after the cease-fire order was lifted, the military said that the New People’s Army guerrillas had “missed a golden opportunity” to demonstrate their commitment to peace.
The move was part of the unilateral ceasefire still in effect at that time. Jesus Dureza ordering the immediate lifting of the unilateral ceasefire against the Communist Party of the Philippines.
“As far as I’m concerned, the resumption of the formal talks will continue”, Sison added.
It urged both parties to uphold their determination to continue the pursuit of peace and “not allow mistrust to deter or defeat this new beginning that is providing so much hope to our nation and people”. “We need to stop fighting”, he said.
Duterte gave the NPA an ultimatum ending at 5pm on Saturday for an official explanation of the ambush as well as to whether the insurgents would reciprocate his call for a separate unilateral truce declaration.
Bello said that in a conversation with Agcaoili, the CPP would reciprocate the President’s ceasefire declaration.
Dureza also denied rumors that the AFP has plans of sabotaging the peace process with the communist rebels.
Duterte reassured military officers of his loyalty to the country’s Armed Forces, as he shared his experience in government service and how he rose from the ranks.
Aside from offering peace with the communists, Duterte has initiated talks with separatist groups Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.
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The New People’s Army, on the other hand, said that it has placed its troops on “active defense mode” and refused to surrender its military initiative and diminish the authority of the communist rebels.
