“The NPA and all revolutionary forces will closely observe how President Duterte’s declaration is carried out by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and whether there will be a clear termination of military operations being carried out under the US-designed Oplan Bayanihan counter-insurgency war of suppression”, Madlos said.
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“I appreciate his mention of culture and how it ought to be valued and respected by the people; his recognition of agriculture and tourism as drivers of economic growth, on post-harvest facilities for the farmers so that they may increase their income capabilities and better access and amenities for travel in our major gateways”, the neophyte Pangasinan congressman said.
AFP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, however, said the declaration of SOMO doesn’t mean that soldiers will go back to barracks and there will be a stop in all law enforcement operations.
Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP in a bid to provide an environment suitable for the resumption of peace talks.
“An exchange of unilateral ceasefire declarations will be one of the first items in the resumption of NDFP-GRP peace talks scheduled for August 20-27 with the aim of making these unilateral declarations effective”, he said.
The President said he wanted all peace initiatives to start or be resolved “towards end of the year”.
Duterte said he is a president who sees peace and not war and he counts on the military to support him and be always ready to guard the integrity of the country and to protect the people. He said he hopes to have peace by the time he retires and steps down from office.
The NDF and the NPA are the political and armed wings of the CPP, respectively.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya has ordered the suspension of military operations against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front in line with President Duterte’s declaration of a unilateral ceasefire with the rebels during his State-of-the-Nation Address last Monday.
Visaya said government troops shall also cease “combat maneuvers that may be construed as provocative acts that may be deemed violative of the SOMO”.
“Jalandoni assumed that the GRP ceasefire declaration … is necessarily connected with the release of all current political prisoners under the amnesty proclamation to be issued by President Duterte and concurred in by a majority of Congress”, it added, pointing to such arrangement under the Oslo Joint Statement between Duterte’s peace negotiators and the NDF on June 15.
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He said some of the firearms used by the Abu Sayyaf were owned by the MNLF and the MILF.
