NPA also declares Christmas ceasefire

MANILA, Philippines — Reciprocating a move by President Duterte, the communist New People’s Army (NPA) declared yesterday a unilateral ceasefire for the Christmas holidays.

In a statement posted on the communist website, NPA spokesman Jorge Madlos said the rebels would continue to be on alert for any hostilities.

“Under the direction of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the national operation command of the New People’s Army hereby unilaterally declares to all commands and units of the NPA and the people’s militia a ceasefire in observance of the Filipino people’s traditional holidays and the party’s 49th anniversary,” he said.

Madlos said the unilateral ceasefire would take effect at 6 p.m. of Dec. 23 to 6 p.m. of Dec. 26 and 6 p.m. of Dec. 30 to 6 p.m. of Jan. 2, 2018.

He said the NPA would monitor hostile actions, provocations or movements being carried out by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Soldiers and policemen would be allowed to enter rebel-affected areas only to visit relatives and friends, Madlos warned.

He said all units of the NPA and the people’s militias shall remain on active defensive mode in order to defend the people and the revolution. 

Since July last year, Madlos said that the NPA has received reports of political killings of at least 129 activists, illegal arrests of militants and cases of mass evacuation due to militarization.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) welcomed the NPA’s declaration of ceasefire.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos said the rebel truce matches the ceasefire earlier ordered by President Duterte.

Duterte ordered last Wednesday the suspension of offensive military operations (SOMO) against the NPA.

The ceasefire would take effect despite the termination of peace talks after the President branded the NPA as a terrorist organization.

The government’s truce would be in effect from 6 p.m of Dec. 23 to 11:59 p.m. of Dec. 26, and from 6 p.m. of Dec. 30 to 11:59 p.m. of Jan. 2.

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday said the CPP-NPA should take advantage of Duterte’s declaration of ceasefire and give the peace talks another chance. 

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People chair Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos yesterday said that they are grateful to the President for changing his mind and ordering the SOMO against the NPA.

Santos believes that pursuing the road to peace is the best gift the government and the CPP-NPA could give to the Filipino people this Christmas.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Rey Guerrero said that despite the ceasefire, government troops would still be on defensive status.

He said that while the military would not conduct offensive operations from Dec. 23 to Dec. 26 and Dec. 30 to Jan. 2, troops would continue protecting the communities.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the SOMO will give soldiers some time to rest during the Christmas and New Year break.

“They could also celebrate Christmas with their families. Siguro bigyan din natin ang mga NPA na makauwi sa mga bahay bahay nila ngayon (let’s also allow the NPA go back to their homes),” he added.

Despite the ceasefire declaration, communist guerrillas plan to sabotage the new modern war equipment of the military.

Aside from being ordered to set up intelligence networks to thwart anti-insurgency operations by the Armed Forces, the NPA was directed by the CPP to form sapper units to identify and sabotage military equipment, especially those newly acquired modern war materiel.

Militant farmers expressed doubt on the government-declared ceasefire.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said they still fear that more peasant leaders would be arrested and charged with fabricated cases even with the truce.

“We challenge President Duterte to walk the talk and order a pullout of AFP troops from peasant and lumad communities nationwide from Dec. 24, 2017 to Jan. 2, 2018,” said KMP chairman Danilo Ramos.

Before the NPA declared the truce, the CPP issued a statement urging rebels to intensify tactical offensives against government forces.

In a statement before the 49th founding anniversary of the CPP on Dec. 26, the NPA also ordered the establishment of more informal militias to help regular guerrilla units. - Emmanuel Tupas, Evelyn Macairan, Michael Punongbayan, Rhodina Villanueva, Marvin Sy, Artemio Dumlao