Military to continue operations vs NPA pending truce

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced Thursday that military operations against the communist New People's Army would continue pending the declaration of a ceasefire.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, public affairs chief of the AFP, said that while they put primacy to the peace negotiations military forces would continue with their operations in the meantime to protect communities and people.

“We are pleased to learn that the document which shall pave the way to the ceasefire has been signed. Meantime that there is no ceasefire declaration yet, there will be no corresponding Suspension Of Military Operations for the moment,” Arevalo said.

On Wednesday night, government and communist rebel negotiators signed an agreement that would pave the way for an interim ceasefire. This ceasefire could lead to a comprehensive settlement of the 48-year communist rebellion in the Philippines which is already one of the longest in the world.

Aside from the interim ceasefire agreement, both sides are also working on a draft of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER). According to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), CASER is an agreement meant to address some of the major causes of the rebellion.

The agreement would also prevent the breakout of hostilities between the two sides, according to OPAPP.

However, the approved guidelines are yet to be in effect pending the approval of ground rules.

Arevalo said that pending the ceasefire declaration their “focused, deliberate, and surgical combat, intelligence and civil-military operations in the meantime.”

“We will pursue our mandate as protector of the people and the state by defeating any armed groups of any affiliation to uphold the law, maintain peace in the communities, and protect the lives of our people,” he said.

Arevalo said that the military was hoping that both sides would soon finalize and approve the guidelines and ground rules that would lead to a ceasefire declaration.