AFP open to Christmas ceasefire with NPA

MANILA, Philippines—The Armed Forces of the Philippines is studying whether to recommend a Christmas ceasefire with the New People’s Army (NPA) despite the impasse in the peace talks with the communist rebels.

In raising the possibility of a Christmas ceasefire, Colonel Arnulfo Burgos, the AFP spokesman, said they have remained committed to the process of finding a political settlement to end the four-decade-old communist insurgency all this time, despite the problems in the peace process.

The government traditionally declares a suspension of offensive military operations (SOMO) with the communist NPA rebels during Christmas and New Year’s Day to give both sides a respite to celebrate with their loved ones.

In the first year of President Aquino’s administration, the government declared a 19-day SOMO from December 16, 2010, to January 3, 2011 – the longest Christmas truce in history – to precede the resumption of peace talks with the National Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines.

The NDF-CPP-NPA agreed to observe the 19-day truce.

The peace negotiations have, however, reached an impasse after a few months due to the rebels’ insistence that the government release their detained leaders before proceeding with the talks.

“For this year, the AFP has already started studying, assessing the overall security situation and consulting concerned agencies before initiating a recommendation for a SOMO for the Commander in Chief’s approval. This is the AFP’s demonstration of commitment, sincerity and support to the primacy of the peace process as embodied in the Internal Peace and Security Plan Bayanihan,” AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said.

He said they would “remain supportive of the government’s peace initiatives and will continue to exhaust all measures and avenues leading to a just and lasting peace for the nation.”

Burgos, nevertheless, stressed that the AFP “will continue to secure and protect the people against violence and atrocities and perform functions in support of the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies.”

In the previous SOMO, the AFP accused the NPA of violating the ceasefire twice – when rebels fired upon a militia member in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, on December 20, 2010, and when rebels attacked Army soldiers who were supposed to meet a rebel who had decided to surrender to government, in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, on December 23, 2010.

No casualties were reported in both skirmishes.

Two days before the start of the Christmas truce, 10 Army soldiers were killed along with a nine-year old bystander in a rebel ambush in Las Navas, Northern Samar.

The AFP reported that 14 NPA rebels took advantage of the SOMO to surrender.

The NPA will commemorate its 43rd founding anniversary on December 26 this year.