DEADLINE. President Rodrigo R. Duterte announces during his visit at Camp Morgia in Doña Andrea, Asuncion, Davao del Norte on Friday, July 29, 2016 that the New People’s Army only has until 5:00 p.m. of July 30, Saturday to declare a ceasefire from their side. Otherwise, Duterte will lift the Unilateral Ceasefire he has declared during his first State of the Nation Address. (RENE LUMAWAG/PPD)
DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated that he will not pull out military troops from the rural communities even with his declaration of a unilateral ceasefire.
In a press conference held in Asuncion town, Davao del Norte province on Friday, July 29, Duterte said that the pullout of the military from the mountains “is out of the question”.
He said he has already told National Democratic Front peace panel member Fidel Agcaoili about it during the start of the talks.
“It is not an issue at all,” Duterte said at the headquarters of the 60th Infantry Battalion, in Barangay Doña Andrea, after he visited the wake of Panggong Komanod, a Cafgu Active Auxiliary killed by the NPA’s on Wednesday morning, July 27.
“Ang may-ari nitong lupa dito lahat, Republic of the Philippines, the people of the Philippines. The spokesman is me because I am the elected leader of this nation (The land here is owned by the Republic of the Philippines, the people of the Philippines),” he said.
But in a statement on July 26, a day after Duterte declared the government’s unilateral ceasefire, the Communist Party of the Philippines said “President Duterte’s appeal for the NPA to cease the ambuscades can immediately be reciprocated. However, to the people longing for peace, what is more important and urgent is for the operating troops of the AFP to withdraw from the civilian communities and homes, their community schools, barangay halls and health centers.”
“The people can only live in peace if they are free from landlessness, joblessness, hunger, ignorance, disease, environmental destruction and hopelessness,” the CPP said.
President’s warning
Duterte earlier warned the CPP that he will end the unilateral ceasefire if they will not give an explanation on the attack of the NPA that resulted to the death of Komanod. Two other CAAs namely Pelo Macurapil and Sammy Gebang were wounded during the attack at around 6:45 am in Sitio Kamonuan, Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
The NPA, in a statement, said the troops were “enroute to what the military and the paramilitary purported to be fixed NPA targets some 20 kilometers away from their detachment.”
“Had the Red fighters not taken the initiative to actively defend itself by intercepting the 72nd Infantry Battalion Alamara troops, the operating AFP troops would have carried out its own combat action and inflicted damage against the NPA unit,” Aris Francisco spokesperson for the NPA’s Comval North Davao South Agusan Sub-regional Command said.
“The ambush was in adherence to the directive by the NPA National Operations Command for Red fighters to maintain on alert status and on active defense mode in response to Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s declared unilateral ceasefire with the National Democratic Front, NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines during his State of the Nation Address on July 25,” the NPA said.
‘Intensified military offensives’
Ka Oris, spokesperson of the National Operations Command of the NPA said in statement that prior to the unilateral ceasefire declaration by Duterte, they observed that the AFP “has extended and intensified military offensives under the Oplan Bayanihan in complete disregard of the avowed policy of engaging the revolutionary forces in peace talks.”
“Over the past weeks, the AFP has been carrying out intensified combat and patrol operations, reconnaissance and intelligence activities, occupation of civilian communities and attacks against human rights in the vain hope of scoring some points to cover their defeat of the Oplan Bayanihan after six years of failing to achieve their aim of reducing the NPA to inconsequentiality,” Ka Oris said.
Ka Oris also said: “In addition to “peace and development”, the AFP has been using the “anti-drug campaign” as pretext to embed themselves in the communities to carry out counter-insurgency patrols, surveillance, campaigns of suppression and militarization of communities.”
He called on the AFP and the paramilitary forces to stop “its campaign of terror against the people of Paquibato District, Davao City.”
“Several people have been killed by fascist soldiers recently,including Marjun Baruel, killed on May 19, Paul Saludaga, May 21, Johnny Basilisco, June 6 and Maria Cayad, June 8,” said the NPA leader.
“On June 9, following an encounter in Barangay Lumiad, Paquibato District, two Red fighters Joel Biliran and Elenita Garing, were arrested, tortured and murdered. Ka Milo was raped prior to being summarily executed,” he added.
He also cited the alleged desecration of the cadaver of NPA fighter Noel Gulmatico in Magpet on July 1 and the alleged abduction of 16 members of an Aggay clan on June 17 in Cagayan province by the government forces.
He also said the AFP “continues to train, arm and employ para-military groups to terrorize communities, conduct robberies and kidnapping for ransom, and proliferate gambling and illegal drugs.”
“They continue to block the safe return of the Lumad evacuees displaced by canon and aerial bombardment, military atrocities and the occupation of their community by military troops,” said Ka Oris.
Dealing in good faith
But Duterte said that he is dealing with the Communists “in good faith”.
“I have dealt with everybody in good faith. I’ve never foisted a lie. That is not my job. It is not the obligation of the president to lie, so I decided to declare the ceasefire to the NDF, CPP-NDF-NPA. Nauna ako (I was first to declare a ceasefire),” he said.
“Ang problema sa inyo you carry the element of hate. Diskompyado kayo (But the problem with you is you carry the element of hate, you are untrusting),” he said.
Duterte said that he was “going out of my way, just to express to you the need for peace.” He said that Mindanao should be developed and that as long as there is war the people in Mindanao are hungry.
Operational details of ceasefire
The CPP on Tuesday said they welcome Duterte’s unilateral ceasefire declaration and they await the release of its operational details, schedules and specific orders.
“The leadership of the CPP will soon issue its own unilateral ceasefire declaration as a reciprocal act to boost the peace talks,” it said.
The CPP also said that the unilateral ceasefire declaration is a “positive boost” to the NDFP-GRP peace talks scheduled on August 20-27. (davaotoday.com)
