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 has set another deadline for the Communist Party of the Philippines, this time to reciprocate the unilateral ceasefire he declared during his first State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 25.
In a press conference on Friday, July 29 inside Camp Morgia, the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ 60th Infantry Battalion in Asuncion Davao del Norte, Duterte said that he will wait for the CPP to reciprocate the ceasefire until 5:00 pm on Saturday, July 30.
“So I am asking you, are you ready to declare a ceasefire or not?” he said.
Duterte, who made the announcement around 5:00 pm Friday, said if he will not get a word from the CPP he will lift the order of ceasefire.
“I will wait for that declaration alas singko rin bukas ng hapon (I will wait for that declaration until 5:00 in the afternoon tomorrow),” he said.
“If I don’t get the word from you then I will lift the order of ceasefire. I cannot withdraw any soldier or policeman dito sa bukid (here in the mountains),” Duterte said.
Read related story: Duterte, CPP differ in views on soldiers pullout amidst ceasefire
Duterte first gave a deadline for the CPP to explain the attack against members of the Cafgu Active Auxiliary on the morning of July 27 in Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte during his visit to the soldiers of the Southern Luzon Command in Lucena City, Quezon Province on Thursday, July 28. He said the CPP should answer by Thursday night.
“I told them, give me an answer by tonight because if there is no answer until tomorrow, I will withdraw the (ceasefire declaration). Let’s go back to fighting. If that’s what you want,” he said.
“If you do not honor and you kill a single soldier and a Cafgu, which is also a soldier of the Republic, eh sabi ko kalimutan na natin to (I said let’s forget about this),” he said.
On Thursday night, National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace panel member Fidel Agcaoili was quoted in news reports as saying that they will investigate the incident.
On Friday afternoon the New People’s Army said the ambuscade was meant to thwart the military offensive of the CAA of the 72nd Infantry Battalion and armed Alamara paramilitary troops.
“Red fighters of the Comval North Davao South Agusan Sub-Regional Command of the New People’s Army in Southern Mindanao thwarted a military offensive by the Civilian Auxilliary Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) of the 72nd Infantry Battalion and armed Alamara paramilitary troops and carried out an ambuscade that killed Alamara member Panggong Bukad, and wounded four others in Bagnakan, Sitio Muling, Brgy. Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, July 27,” said Aris Francisco, NPA spokesman.
Francisco 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.”
He also said the the AFP “deceived” Duterte, who is the Commander-in-Chief by saying that the NPA violated the unilateral ceasefire “when it waylaid the PDOP (Peace and Development Outreach Program) troops who were returning to their detachment in Sitio Patil, Barangay Gupitan.”
“Nothing can be so farther from the truth,” he said.
Francisco also claimed that they respect the ceasefire order of Duterte and that they strictly adhere to the leadership of the CPP.
“It is the militarist clique in the AFP and its paramilitaries like the Alamara that ridicule their Commander In Chief in virulently sabotaging the peace process,” said Francisco.
Meanwhile, Duterte said the NPA’s “defensive position” is “not a good response.”
The President said he expected that the NPA will reciprocate his declaration of a unilateral ceasefire “with a ceasefire on their side.”
“At least yun ang sagot sana nila. Eh ang problema nito hindi ko malaman ngayon whether they are really into it for peace or jina-jamming nila ako (The problem here is I’m not sure whether they are really into it for peace or they are playing with me),” he said.
The CPP on Tuesday, July 26 said they welcome President Rodrigo Duterte’s unilateral declaration of ceasefire with the revolutionary armed forces.
It said that they are awaiting the release of the operational details, schedules and specific orders of Duterte’s declaration. “The leadership of the CPP will soon issue its own unilateral ceasefire declaration as a reciprocal act to boost the peace talks,” it said.
“As we welcome the unilateral declaration of ceasefire as a boost to peace talks, we must remind ourselves that it is not so much the absence of war than the presence of justice and freedom that makes peace. To the oppressed and exploited masses of peasants and workers, waging people’s war has always been the only viable recourse to attain their aspirations for peace,” the CPP said.(davaotoday.com)
