AFP can break 'tradition' of holiday truce with NPA

MANILA — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday said he will not recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte to observe the traditional Christmas truce with communist fighters, signaling sustained hostilities following the collapse of peace talks with Maoist rebels last month.

Amid continued clashes during the negotiations, Duterte on November 23 signed a proclamation unilaterally scrapping the peace process with communists that aimed to end nearly half-century long of insurgency.

He said peace talks were called off because of the Left’s “pure nonsense” demand for a coalition government, which he opposed by insisting he should maintain control over the military and the police.

Speaking to reporters, Lorenzana said he will not ask Duterte to declare a ceasefire with the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, due to heightened guerrilla attacks against state forces.

The Defense chief said suspending military operations against the NPAs would leave soldiers vulnerable to assaults from leftist combatants, adding that the government “can always break traditions.”

“No, I will not. Because there was an order by their commanders to intensify operations against us,” Lorenzana said.

“So kung mag-suko kami (So if we will silence our guns) and we will stand down, they will attack us again,” he added.

A self-styled socialist, Duterte reactivated peace talks with communists in August last year. Both sides have been in on-off negotiations since 1986.

Duterte previously sent mixed signals on the peace negotiations with the Maoist guerillas.

He would express readiness to talk to the insurgents after declaring that peace negotiations with them are just a "waste of money."