The Philippine president says he hopes his government can resume peace talks with communist guerrillas later this month despite his withdrawal of a ceasefire order after the rebels killed a militiaman in an attack.
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But Duterte, who describes himself as a socialist, had given concessions to the rebels, naming left-wing activists to two Cabinet posts and moving to resume peace talks with them from August 20 to 27 in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.
This was announced in a press statement on Sunday by Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, who said, “The leadership of the CPP-NPA-NDF announced through the media its belated but still strategic and awaited decision to also declare its own unilateral ceasefire”.
Dureza said he welcomed a statement from rebel leader Jose Maria Siso, who was interviewed on local television hours after Duterte withdrew the ceasefire, saying the communists had also meant to impose a truce but it was overtaken by events.
While the New People’s Army in the south was ready to reciprocate Duterte’s cease-fire, “it can not be harangued to reciprocate a unilateral cease-fire order that is overtly mocked by the Armed Forces of the Philippines hierarchy and its ground troops and paramilitary forces”, Sanchez said.
Before Duterte’s 5 p.m. deadline lapsed, GPH peace panel chair Silvestre Bello III, told MindaNews that NDF spokesperson Fidel Agcaoili sent him a message to “please give us time to finish our investigation of the incident as reported by concerned NPA command”.
“August 20 is the resumption of the peace talks”.
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 positive response to the President’s declaration.
He issued the ultimatum after the rebels ambushed a group of paramilitary in southern province of Davao del Norte two days after he declared the unilateral suspension of offensive military operations during his first State of the Nation Address.
“In its report, the NPA unit pointed to how they were provoked to carry out the ambush as part of its active defence in the face of an imminent armed encounter with the operating armed troops and auxilliary forces of the 72nd IB of the AFP”, it said.
Agcaoili had said the CPP will reciprocate the President’s ceasefire declaration. The decades-long insurgency, one of Asia’s longest, has left about 150,000 combatants and civilians dead since the late 1960s. It affirms the value of the President’s firm actions for peace.
The CPP said it welcomed the government ceasefire on July 25, adding that “it is too bad that he has withdrawn such an order”.
The military said it would “remain alert, vigilant and ready to defend itself and pursue attackers if confronted by armed elements of the New People’s Army” guerillas.
Duterte added he would also go Cotabato and Jolo to personally meet with MNLF leader Nur Misuari, who has a pending warrant of arrest.
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Under Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, peace talks stalled over the government’s refusal to heed a rebel demand for the release of some captured guerrillas.
