CPP set on declaring truce
Ceasefire eyed on or before August 20 talks in Oslo
DAVAO CITY — A consultant for the National Democratic Front (NDF) said yesterday that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is poised to declare a unilateral ceasefire on or before August 20, when the initial talks for peace between the government and communist party get underway in Oslo, Norway.
“The CPP is about to declare its own unilateral ceasefire declaration ahead or on August 20. So
by August 20, there will be exchange of declarations which could be negotiated further to become the Bilateral Interim Ceasefire,” NDF peace consultant Randy Malayao told the Manila Bulletin in an exclusive interview yesterday.
Malayao said more details on the plan to declare a unilateral ceasefire are contained in the preliminary agreements signed by both parties last June 15 in Norway.
“Nauna na si Digong (President Duterte went ahead with the ceasefire). The party is supposed to reciprocate. Only, Digong (the President) withdrew his unilateral declaration. So back to June 15 Oslo Preliminary Agreements,” Malayao said.
“The NDFP looks forward to the resumption of formal talks in Oslo on August 20-27 when the GRP and NDFP negotiating panels would at the latest exchange ceasefire declarations in order to discuss and agree further on how to make them effective,” Malayao added.
In a statement released by the CPP, it said that it was still willing to issue a unilateral ceasefire despite Duterte’s lifting last Saturday of a government truce he had declared during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Tuesday last week and pursue peace talks with his administration.
“At this point, the CPP reiterates its full support for the resumption of NDFPGRP peace negotiations as a means of discussing the roots of the armed conflict,” the CPP Central Committee said in a statement, a copy of which was sent to the Manila Bulletin.
“It expects the Duterte government to make good its promise to release all peace consultants of NDFP as well as all political prisoners arrested and detained under the Arroyo and Aquino regimes.”
The CPP said that the statement of the unilateral ceasefire would be done “separately but simultaneously” with Malacañang.
“The time-frame can be determined through negotiations,” the statement said.
“As earlier planned, the negotiating panels of the NDFP and GRP can thereafter exchange these declarations in order to discuss points for cooperation and coordination and determine ways of preventing armed skirmishes, misunderstandings and miscommunications during the course of the peace talks.”
Fingerpointing Earlier, the CPP said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) allegedly did not honor Duterte’s offer of truce, especially in Southern Mindanao where a government militiaman was killed and four others wounded in late July.
“Combat units of the AFP have remained active in civilian communities throughout the country, from Isabela to Sorsogon, Northern Samar to Surigao del Norte, to Compostela and even in Duterte’s home province of Davao del Norte where AFP combat troops continue to wage armed offensives. The NPA will soon issue a report on the matter.”
The AFP’s 10th Infantry Division was quick to deny this, adding that the units were headed back to barracks, upon receipt of Duterte’s orders for a unilateral ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the CPP said that while it welcomed Duterte’s truce offer, “It is too bad that he has withdrawn such an order.”
“We trust, however, that this will not affect preparations for formal resumption of peace negotiations.”
The CPP said it hoped that the move would not preclude the reissuing of a declaration simultaneously with the CPP-NPA on August 20.
“We continue to look forward to work with the GRP President in peace negotiations. With his declared intent of resolving the issues at the root of the armed conflict, GRP President Duterte will not want the fascist zealots of the US counter-insurgency doctrine to succeed in derailing peace negotiations and seeing him fail to forge a lasting peace agreement with the NDFP.”
Despite a hand for peace, the CPP meanwhile called Duterte’s change of heart “capricious” and “in accordance with his whims.”
“It was quite disconcerting that the GRP President would impose such an inflexible ultimatum on the CPP. Despite his anti-crime bravado, it would seem he has shown the drug lords and protectors of criminal syndicates more flexibility and accommodation,” the statement said.
The CPP said that it would not be “browbeaten” to order its units to stand down, with personnel from the AFP not doing the same.
“To say the least, continuing offensives of the AFP prevented the CPP from declaring an interim ceasefire sooner,” the CPP said.