NPA declares holiday truce, too
The New People’s Army (NPA), armed fighters of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), returned the token and announced yesterday a unilateral ceasefire for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays effective from 6 p.m. today (December 23) to 6 p.m. Tuesday (December 26) and from 6 p.m. of Saturday (December 30) until 6 p.m. of Tuesday (Jan. 2, 2018).
Two days earlier, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque announced that President Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire effective 6 p.m. of December 23 until 11:59 p.m. of December 26 and 6 p.m. of December 30 until 11:59 p.m. of January 2 next year.
In a statement, NPA spokesman Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos said the NPA’s National Operation Command ordered all its commands and units to refrain from carrying out offensive campaigns and operations against Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in observance of the Yuletide and and New Year’s celebrations and CPP’s 49th anniversary.
“Personnel of the AFP and PNP who have no serious liabilities other than their membership in their armed units shall not be subjected to arrest or
punitive actions,” he said.
Madlos added that police and military personnel may be allowed to enter “the territory of the people’s democratic government to make personal visits to relatives and friends.”
Malacañang welcomed the unilateral ceasefire declaration by the CPP-NPA, with Roque saying that the government expects the communists to comply with its own declaration.
“We expect that the CPP-NPA would honor their word and comply with the unilateral ceasefire, so that our people could truly experience a peaceful Christmas celebration,” he added.
Roque, meanwhile, assured that the government forces will not let their guard down despite the SOCO.
“Rest assured that the government will remain vigilant in ensuring the safety of our countrymen. May we all stand together in fulfilling our shared desire of achieving lasting peace throughout the nation,” he said.
Earlier, Malacañang said that it is not expecting the Reds to declare a Christmas truce but was hoping they would do so to allow the Filipinos to celebrate without apprehension.
“[The President] has no expectations whatsoever. He’s hopeful but if not, then it will prove what he has been saying all along that the NPA are treacherous. So the ball is in the court of the NPA,” Roque earlier said.
President Duterte also changed the dates covered by the SOCO. It was originally set for 10 straight days.
On the communist side, Madlos said that NPA units are told to remain on active defensive mode and maintain a high degree of alertness and preparation against any movements of the government forces as they did during the six-month unilateral ceasefires in 2016 where the communists claimed the AFP occupied and deployed troops in 500 barrios nationwide that allegedly resulted in human rights violations against civilians.
He said NPA units will continue to enforce “polices and laws of the people’s democratic government, perform necessary and appropriate functions of governance, and mobilize the people and resources in territories under its authority.”
The NPA and the CCP had been designated as terrorist organizations with President Duterte’s issuance of Proclamation No. 374 which he signed last December 5, pursuant to RA No. 10168, also known as the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2002.
Still, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero said that government troops are advised to maintain their defensive positions in the duration of the holiday truce.
Guerrero told The Manila Bulletin that despite the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the CPP-NPA, soldiers are also tasked to protect communities from possible attacks from communist guerrillas.
“(They are tasked) to be on active defense of course and to make sure we continue protecting our communities (from possible attacks),” Guerrero said.
“For now, we will concentrate to the instructions given to us and that is to implement a Suspension of Military Operations. Technically, we call it as suspension of offensive military operations,” he added.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, for his part, said one of the reasons for the declaration of SOMO is for soldiers to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones.
“Yes, yes. So they (troops) can also celebrate Christmas with their families and also to give the NPAs the chance for them to go home. If they don't declare a ceasefire that’s their problem,” Lorenzana said on Thursday. (With reports from Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos and Francis T. Wakefield)