It was unclear whether the emerging differences between Duterte and the insurgents would affect the resumption of peace talks scheduled for August 20-27 in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.
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Previously, CPP founder Joma Sison called Duterte hasty for lifting the ceasefire and seeming to rush a delicate process. “Maybe we did not understand each other”, Duterte said, during a statement delivered before newly appointed officials who took their oath inside Rizal Hall in Malacañang. “I hope we can proceed with the talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines [CPP]”, he added.
Ernesto Alcanzare, lead organizer of Yes for Peace-Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan, Kaunlaran at Kasaganahan, explained that nearly five decades of armed struggle being waged by the CPP-NPA have cost the Filipinos billions of pesos worth of human and material resources.
But the peace talks were thrown into jeopardy when Mr. Duterte said he might call off the unilateral ceasefire after rebels killed a militiaman and injured four others in an ambush on Wednesday.
The tough-talking president said he demanded an explanation from the communists about the attack and asked them to punish the rebels behind the assault like what the military does to erring soldiers.
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.
“There is no conspicuous and veritable unilateral cease-fire exercised by” the military, police and paramilitary forces in the south”, he said in a statement posted on a rebel website.
Duterte said he is going to Mindanao within 10 days ahead of the resumption of the government negotiations with the NDF in Oslo on August 20 to 27.
The President said it’s possible his administration and the CPP simply had a misunderstanding about the New People’s Army ambush on July 27 that prompted him to lift the ceasefire.
Speaking to Al Jazeera on Friday, Luis Jalandoni, chairman of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), said the armed group’s fighters on the ground were maintaining an “active defensive mode”, ahead of a truce announcement.
In a statement, Sulong (Advance) CARHRIHL said the incident in Kapalong “highlights the need for a robust and mutually acceptable ceasefire mechanism” to prevent a similar one from occurring in the future.
The Philippines government is mired in long-lasting standoff with the leftist rebels, which has lead to some 40,000 deaths.
“While the NPA-SMROC is ready, willing and able to reciprocate the unilateral ceasefire in accordance to the parameters, guidelines and rules to be set by the national leadership of the NPA, CPP, and NDFP, it can not be harangued to reciprocate a unilateral ceasefire order that is overtly mocked by the AFP hierarchy and its ground troops and paramilitary forces”, Sanchez said.
“It was quite disconcerting that the GRP President would impose such an inflexible ultimatum on the CPP”, the CPP said.
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Duterte has stressed the need to end guerrilla wars with communist and Muslim rebels that have been hampering economic development in several part of the country. “They are not following the ceasefire order of their own commander in chief”.
