President Duterte has declared a Christmas truce with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front and urged them to reciprocate the goodwill gesture after recently scrapping the peace talks and declaring them terrorists.
Duterte’s decision, announced during the Cabinet Christmas party at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang Tuesday and made public by his spokesman Harry Roque Jr. yesterday, reflects the contrasting moves the volatile leader has taken to deal with the 48-year communist insurgency, one of Asia’s longest. The Department of National Defense has recommended the President not to declare a ceasefire.
Roque said in a statement that the Dec. 24-Jan. 2 ceasefire aims to ease public apprehension during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, when many Filipinos travel to the provinces and the countryside, where the Maoist insurgents are active.
“This unilateral ceasefire would lessen the apprehension of the public this Christmas season. We expect that the CPP-NPA-NDF would do a similar gesture of goodwill,” Roque said.
“Christmas holds a special place in the hearts of our countrymen. In the observance of this occasion, we hope that all Filipinos would stand together as one nation and aspire for peace in our beloved Philippines,” he added.
Duterte had earlier appeared undecided but was worried about public safety if he would not call for a unilateral truce.
“They might say there’s no ceasefire, a gunbattle erupts, then you put a lot of strain on the people,” he told reporters after attending the wake of a police officer, who was gunned down by a drug suspect this week. “A lot of people are going around, even at night, enjoying Christmas Day or whatever, going to church.” (AP and Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
