President Rodrigo Duterte says that he will have to consult the military and the police if it is already “safe for them” to declare a ceasefire with the the Communist Party of the Philippines.
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Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos told reporters in a chance interview in Camp Crame that dela Rosa also ordered police commanders to closely coordinate with their military counterparts in their areas of responsibility.
At the same time, the statement said, “The CPP anticipates the release of the rest of the NDFP consultants so that everyone can participate in the peace talks”, naming Eduardo Sarmiento, who was arrested in February 2009, “slapped with trumped-up murder charges and unjustly convicted in December 2013”, and is now “serving a life sentence in Muntinlupa”.
Christian Tuayon, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Negros, said they welcomed the ceasefire declaration of the CPP-NPA as this is in support to the peace talks to achieve just and lasting peace.
Duterte was the first to declare a unilateral ceasefire during his first state of the nation address.
In light of formal peace talks between the Philippine Government and communist rebels next week, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Operational Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) issued on Friday a unilateral declaration of a seven-day ceasefire. But the President withdrew it five days after when a Cafgu Armed Auxiliary was killed by the NPAs in Kapalong town in Davao del Norte. It clarified, however, that the ceasefire declaration will take effect even without the government’s reciprocation.
Duterte said he was the first to show good faith but he said he was “reciprocated by a lot of ambuscades”.
“We will stop our combat operations”, Roperos said, but she pointed out that the army will continue with its presence in the communities. The Army denied the accusations.
“So it’s a matter of sincerity. Is it true?” he said.
It will cover the 5-day peace talks to be held in Oslo, Norway, between the negotiating panels of the government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the CPP’s political arm.
The peace negotiations earlier brokered also by Norway were stalled in 2012 after the Philippine government refused to free communist leaders who had been in jail for decades.
Presidential adviser on the peace process Jesus Dureza said the President will personally monitor the peace negotiations via Skype.
“This optimistic mood is a testament to the seriousness of both parties to transcend differences exemplified by the ceasefire issue a few weeks ago”, the PEPP said.
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“Hopefully, when the discussions reach the socio-economic reform agenda, we’ll be able to thoroughly discuss how local officials would fit in the entire process”, he said.
