Last-ditch truce

These shall be measures of goodwill and confidence building during the traditional celebrations of Christmas and New Year holidays.

The government and the communist movement agreed to have a last shot at peace after the negotiating panels of both signed an agreement recommending the declaration of “reciprocal” unilateral ceasefires from midnight of 23 December to 12:59 p.m. on 7 January.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and President Rodrigo Duterte, in response, ordered their forces to observe the suspension of hostilities.

A three-paragraph Joint Statement signed in Utrecht on 21 December indicated the government and the CPP’s negotiating arm National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) “have agreed to recommend to their respective principals the issuance of a unilateral and reciprocal nationwide.”

Members of both panels agreed to “separately issue the corresponding ceasefire orders.”

During the ceasefire period, “the respective armed units and personnel of the parties shall cease and desist from carrying out offensive military operations against the other,” the agreement stated.

The ceasefires, the parties agreed, are “intended to generate a positive environment conducive to the holding of informal talks preparatory to the formal meeting to resume the peace negotiations.”

“These shall be measures of goodwill and confidence building during the traditional celebrations of Christmas and New Year holidays,” the parties said.

The agreement was signed for the government by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who is the government panel’s chairman until the President called it off in November 2017 and Hernani Braganza, former Agrarian Reform Secretary and panel member.

For the NDFP, the signatories were Luis Jalandoni, senior NDFP adviser and Fidel Agcaoili, chairman of the NDFP negotiating panel. Signing as witness is Kristina Lie Revhaim, third party facilitator from the Norwegian government.

Malacañang said the President is reviewing the proposal and will likely issue a decision on Monday.

“Perhaps, the President is already aware of the recommendation,” the Palace official said. “We’ll know his decision tomorrow (Monday).”

On 3 December, the President said opening the government’s door to possible resumption of talks with the communists would be his “last card.”

His latest pronouncement came after he formally shelved the peace talks with the NDF, through Proclamation 360 signed on 23 November 2017, following the strings of attacks launched by the communists’ armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), against the government troops and civilians.

On 5 December 2017, the President followed it up with Proclamation 374, classifying the CPP-NPA as terror organizations because of their supposed commission of crimes that are “against the Filipino people, against humanity, and against the law of the nations.”

The CPP-NPA has also been listed as a terror group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

The country’s security officials have expressed opposition to the declaration of a ceasefire with the communists due to the NPA rebels’ continued attacks against the government troops and civilians.

Contrary to previous reports, Panelo said there is no truth that the President is included in the CPP-NPA hit list.

“President Duterte in the NPA hit list has already been denied by Jose Ma. Sison,” Panelo said in a radio interview.

He added the hit list issue has no effect on the peace negotiations.

“Well if its already been denied by Joma Sison how will it have an effect?” he said.

When reminded that it was National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon who reported that President Duterte is in the hitlist, Panelo said the report he received is not true.

“In other words, what our companions receive is not true. It has already been denied,” he added.

With regards to the security of President Duterte, Panelo said threat or no threat, the Presidential Security Group always provide tight security to him to ensure his safety.

Meanwhile, Panelo said President Duterte’s Christmas message to the CPP-NPA is for them to finally return to mainstream society.

“Malacañang’s message to them is that it’s high time for them to return to society. That’s the message of the President,” Panelo said.

“There is a need to end the five-decades of fighting that has resulted in the death of many in both sides. We need to have lasting peace in our country,” he added.

Panelo said there is still no date yet when formal resumption of peace talks will transpire.

He added that by this time, President Duterte has already received the recommendation by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and NDFP for the issuance of unilateral and reciprocal nationwide ceasefires.