Reds declare Christmas, New Year ceasefire, but AFP ops to continue
MANILA, Philippines – The Maoist ruling party on Monday declared a four-day ceasefire for Christmas and New Year, a unilateral declaration rejected by the military.
The central committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) declared a ceasefire from 00:00 hours of December 25, 2025 to 23:59 hours of December 26, 2025; and 00:00 hours of December 31, 2025 to 23:59 hours of January 1, 2026.
“This temporary ceasefire order is being issued in solidarity with the Filipino people as they conduct simple celebrations of their traditional holidays amid grave social and economic conditions,” CPP information officer Marco Valbuena said in a statement.
The Department of National Defense, however, dismissed CPP’s pronouncement, calling it a “sad propaganda stunt.”
“Military duties are not subject to pause or seasons, thus the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall continue to support the Philippine National Police in keeping peace and order this holiday season,” the DND said in a statement on Monday.
The AFP echoed this, saying their operations will continue.
“As families come together this Christmas and New Year, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines will remain on duty,” the AFP said in a statement on Monday.
In another statement, Valbuena slammed what he called the“knee-jerk reaction” of DND and AFP on CPP’s unilateral ceasefire declaration.
Nevertheless, during these four days, Valbuena said the NPA rebels are ordered to be in “active defense mode” and to be on “high alert” against ground and aerial attacks of the AFP.
The CPP usually declares an annual ceasefire except in 2024 due to what Valbuena said at the time to “relentless war of suppression.”
Aside from the commemoration of the holidays, Valbuena said this year’s ceasefire is also to mark the 57th anniversary of the CPP on December 26, 1968.
CPP’s armed wing, NPA, was later established on March 29, 1969, waging the world’s longest Maoist insurgency to date.
READ: NPA membership down to 780; over 5,000 seek amnesty – gov’t
The total number of NPA members has dropped to around 780, far from its peak in 1987 when the Maoist guerrillas had up to 25,000 members, according to the anticommunist task force’s estimates, which Valbuena disputed without giving an exact estimate, citing strategic reasons.
As of this month, the National Amnesty Commission also said over 5,043 former NPA members have applied to local amnesty boards nationwide.
In 2023, the government and the CPP’s political wing, the National Democratic Front, agreed to a “principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict,” as stated in the Oslo Joint Communique. /das/abc
