Palace: AFP-NPA clash won’t affect peace talks

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is optimistic that the clash between the military and communist rebels in North Cotabato over the weekend would not affect the ongoing peace talks.

At least one member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed during a 30-minute encounter with soldiers in Makilala town on Saturday. The rebels claimed eight soldiers died during the gun battle, an allegation denied by the military.

The firefight happened while negotiators from the government and the National Democratic Front, political arm of the rebels, are holding the third round of peace talks in Rome.

“No, it should not affect any of the ongoing talks,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters yesterday. “The talks are ongoing and we are intent on focusing on settling the matter.”

He added that the unilateral ceasefire declared by the government still holds despite the incident.

President Duterte met with Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año, Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa and the heads of the military’s major services yesterday in Malacañang.

Abella said the agenda of the meeting was the peace and order situation in Mindanao but did not elaborate.

Senior Insp. Elias Colonia, chief of the Makilala municipal police, said soldiers and policemen shot dead rebel Rojit Ranara and wounded five others when they foiled an attempt to burn a cargo truck in a mountainous barangay in Makilala town.

The police and the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion were dispatched to Barangay Biangan to check on reports that a group of NPA rebels seized and were about to torch a hauling truck to force its owner, Santos Land Development Corp., to give “protection money” on a regular basis.                                 

Intelligence sources said Santos Land owns several heavy equipment units that are being used for the some projects in the province. – With John Unson