Palace says Duterte to decide on holiday ceasefire with communists
Malacanang on Sunday said President Rodrigo Duterte will decide Monday whether to approve the recommendation of government's peace panel and National Democratic Front (NDF) officials to declare a holiday ceasefire.
In an interview with Radyo Inquirer, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said a recommendation was made by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and two NDF officials, Luis Jalandoni and Fidel Agcaoili.
“I think by this time, he already receive it… we will know by tomorrow,” Panelo said when asked if Duterte will agree with the recommendation.
In 2017 and 2018, the government did not declare a holiday ceasefire with the communists.
In a joint statement released on Saturday, both parties said “they have agreed to recommend to their respective Principals the issuance of unilateral and reciprocal nationwide ceasefires”.
The ceasefires will be effective from December 23 to January 7.
“The ceasefires are intended to generate positive environment conducive to the holding of informal talks preparatory to the formal meeting to resume the peace negotiations,” it said.
“These shall be measures of goodwill and confidence building during the traditional celebrations of Christmas and New Year holidays,” it added.
The recommendation came after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Bello to go to Netherlands-based Community Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison with the hope to resume the peace talks he cancelled in 2017.
He said his move to send Bello to Sison would be his "last card."
However, some government officials disclosed that a hit list was prepared by the communist rebels against President Rodrigo Duterte and other senior government officials which Sison denied.
Panelo said the so-called hit list will not affect the peace.
“If Joma Sison denied it, how can it affect?... In other words, the (report) received by our officials are not true,” he said.
On the anniversary of CPP-NPA on December 26, Panelo said the government urged them to return back to the society.
“That is the message of our president. It’s time to stop the five decade of fighting which only results to death of many from both sides. Our country needs to have lasting peace,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS
