Bayan Muna welcomes gov’t, NDFP recommendation for holiday truce

MANILA, Philippines — Bayan Muna on Sunday welcomed with “cautioned enthusiasm” the recommendation for a holiday ceasefire by representatives of the Philippine government (GRP) and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said the truce, once finalized, will create a favorable environment for the resumption of canceled peace talks between the government and the communist group.

“We welcome today with cautioned enthusiasm the joint announcement of a possible unilateral and national reciprocal ceasefires,” Zarate said in a statement.

The recommendation for the cessation of hostilities this Christmas season was announced through a joint statement by GRP and NDFP representatives that was shared on social media by exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Ma. Sison.

The recommended ceasefire nationwide would cover the period December 23, 2019, to January 7, 2020.

READ: Gov’t, NDFP agree to recommend holiday ceasefire

But Zarate noted that in the past, “saboteurs, especially from the security sector” conduct operations against criminals as a cover-up for counter-insurgency offensives during the ceasefire term.

He said government forces also use paramilitary groups as proxies in these operations.

“We, the people, should be on the lookout though, for the militarists and saboteurs who will do everything to prevent a political, just and lasting solution to the more than five-decade-old armed rebellion in our country,” said Zarate.

“There’s a lot more to be done. Thus, we urge the negotiators and the respective principals of the GRP and NDFP to stay the course and always consider the primordial interests of our country and people as their guide,” he also said.

Earlier, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said they will not recommend a truce with CPP’s armed wing, New People’s Army, for the holiday season.

Lorenzana said the ceasefire only works for the NPA since they use the period to recruit fighters without intervention from state forces.

Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro-based peace group Balay Mindanaw has urged “the Principals of the two Parties to take to heart and heed the recommendations” of the peace negotiators.

The proposed ceasefire was a result of backchannel talks done in The Netherlands by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III with NDFP leaders, upon the orders of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement, Balay Mindanaw said the ceasefire is “a very positive step towards the resumption of the GRP-NDF peace talks.”

“We hope that this (ceasefire) becomes an irreversible step towards the transformation of this decades-old armed conflict as the two Parties resume their work in addressing the roots of the conflict,” the group added.

Edited by KGA