MANILA, Philippines—The government will declare a unilateral ceasefire with communist insurgents during the Christmas season despite the reported collapse of informal peace talks in Norway, officials said Wednesday.

“The suspension of offensive military operations is a policy being followed by this administration. We might just do that in keeping with the spirit of Christmas,” said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

He said instructions would be given to the Department of National Defense, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to make the recommendation for a unilateral ceasefire.

The military customarily declares a unilateral ceasefire during the holidays with the communist New People’s Army which has been fighting to establish a Maoist state for the past four decades.

Last year, the government suspended offensive military operations against the communists for 22 days, starting on Dec. 16 and ending at midnight of Jan. 6.

The rebels last year observed a four-day unilateral ceasefire—on Dec. 24 to 25 and on Dec. 31 to Jan. 1—"in deference to the Filipino holiday traditions.”

Twice with all rebels

Last Sunday, House Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. pushed for a Christmas ceasefire with the communist rebels and Muslim secessionists so the people can observe the holiday season in an atmosphere of peace.

The Armed Forces said in a report that it was ready to observe a Christmas ceasefire with the rebel groups but the decision remained with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who is the Commander in Chief.

Government peace negotiators led by Nieves Confesor held informal talks in Oslo from Nov. 27 to Nov. 30 with the leaders of the National Democratic Front, the political arm of and main negotiator for the Communist Party of the Philippines, to discuss whether to resume peace negotiations, but no agreement was concluded.

The peace talks have been stalled since 2004 when the rebels protested the government’s inaction on their demand to have the group removed from the terror lists of the United States and the European Union.

NDF spokesperson Fidel Agcaoili said they proposed a draft joint statement for the resumption of formal negotiations but it was rejected by the government panel which insisted on a prolonged ceasefire as a precondition.

Ermita said he was unaware of the reported collapse of the informal talks, and said he would get in touch with Confesor when she returns to Manila.

“What I gathered from Secretary Hermogenes Esperon [the presidential adviser on the peace process] was that the NDF panel came out with a statement that they are not agreeable to the resumption of talks unless their conditions are met,” he said. With Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon