Ceasefire idineklara na rin ng NPA

MANILA, Philippines — Bilang paggunit sa Kapaskuhan, nagdeklara na rin ng tigil-putukan ang New People's Army kasunod ng deklarasyon ng gobyerno.

Ito ay alinsunod sa kautusan ng Communist Party of the Philippines' central committee at National Operational Command ng NPA.

Idineklara ito kasabay na rin ng ika-49 anibersaryo ng CPP sa Disyembre 26.

"This unilateral declaration of ceasefire shall be in effect from 6 p.m. of December 23 to 6 p.m. of December 26; and 6 p.m. of December 30 to 6 p.m. of January 2, 2018," pahayg ni NPA spokesperson Jorge "Ka Oris" Madlos.

"During this period, all NPA units and people's militias shall cease and desist from carrying out offensive military campaigns and operations against the uniformed armed personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and its paramilitaries, and the Philippine National Police of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines,” dagdag niya.

Samantala, sa kabila ng tigil-putukan, sinabi ng NPA na hindi nila ibababa ang kanilang mga armas.

"All NPA units shall maintain a high degree of alertness and preparation against any hostile actions or movements by enemy armed forces, similar to what transpired during the six-month unilateral ceasefires last year wherein the AFP occupied and forward deployed troops in at least 500 barrios nationwide, committing numerous human rights violations against civilians and their communities," sabi ni Madlos.

Nitong kamakalawa lamang ay idineklara ng gobyerno ang pagsususpinde ng operasyon ng militar kontra sa mga rebelde.

Bago magdeklara ang NPA ng ceasfire ay umasa ang pamahalaan na gaayahin sila ng mga rebelde.

"We expect that the [Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines] would do a similar gesture of goodwill," wika ni presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.