Communist Party: NPA will not be browbeaten into ceasefire

MANILA, Philippines — Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria "Joma" Sison has called out President Rodrigo Duterte for lifting the unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels less than a week after declaring it.

Sison, chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, called the president a "very volatile" leader who rushes to decisions without considering the other aspects of the situation.

Duterte announced a unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front in his State of the Nation Address on July 25. He lifted the ceasefire on Saturday night after the NDF failed to announce a reciprocal ceasefire within a deadline that Duterte gave.

READ: Unilateral ceasefire with Reds cancelled

"Nagpakita si Duterte ng pagsasalita na butangero na gusto niya bakbakan kaagad kung hindi masunod yung utos niya. Akala niya nakakuha na siya ng mga utusan," Sison said in a telephone interview with ABS-CBN News.

The exiled CPP founder claimed that the communists were supposed to announce a truce at 8 p.m., three hours after the ultimatum set by Duterte.

"Ayaw ni Duterte ng ceasefire, ayaw na rin niya ng peace negotiations, bahala siya! Pinakaayaw ng kilos rebolusyonaryo yung nambu-bully," Sison said.

Sison added that the president had no right to order the New People's Army and the revolutionary movement to declare a ceasefire without consulting the government peace panel.

NPA Southern Mindanao Regional Command spokesperson Rigoberto Sanchez has claimed that there was no actual ceasefire with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which conducted military operations five days after the president declared the unilateral ceasefire.

A reported NPA ambush on government militiamen in Davao del Norte last week prompted Duterte to issue the ultimatum, but the NPA has said the ambushed troops had been on the way to launch an operation despite the ceasefire.

Ceasefire on August 20

Meanwhile, the CPP said that it will issue a unilateral ceasefire declaration with the government on August 20, the first day of the resumption of peace talks in Oslo, Norway.

"To further support peace negotiations, the CPP is willing to issue a unilateral ceasefire declaration separately but simultaneously with the Duterte government on August 20. The timeframe can be determined through negotiations," the CPP said in a statement.

The CPP added that it took a "more prudent path" when it refused to reciprocate the ceasefire declared by the new president.

"The CPP took the more prudent path of moving slowly in a deliberate effort to observe the situation at the ground even as it ordered the NPA to stay on active defense. The CPP, however, will not allow itself to be browbeaten to order the NPA to go on a ceasefire while operating troops of the AFP showed no plans of letting up in their search-and-destroy operations and frenzied offensives that terrorize civilian communities," the statement read.

Meanwhile, the AFP has resumed its operations against the NPA after Duterte lifted the ceasefire with the communist rebels.

The AFP and the Philippine National Police are now under high alert and have been ordered to sustain offensive operations against the rebels. — Patricia Lourdes Viray