Communist rebels’ holiday truce ‘too short’—AFP chief

AFP Chief of Staff General Emmanuel Bautista/ AFP Public Affairs Office

MANILA, Philippines – Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Emmanuel Bautista said Thursday that the holiday ceasefire declared by the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army was “too short”.

“Their declaration is too short. Why did they even bother to declare. Two days Christmas, two days New Year,” he told reporters in Filipino and English on the sidelines on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the CPP-NPA announced that the ceasefire would start12 midnight of December 24 to 11:59 p.m. of December 26; and 12 midnight of December 31 to 11:59 p.m. of January 2, 2014.

The CPP-NPA declaration was issued “in solidarity with the Filipino people’s traditional observance of Christmas and New Year holidays.” It will also allow their members and the Filipino people to join mass celebrations to mark the 45th anniversary of the CPP on December 26.

Last year, the government declared suspension of offensive military operations from December 16 to Jan. 15, 2014.

“If they want they can declare a ceasefire that would last forever. We want that, don’t we?” Bautista said.

“Why won’t they declare a longer [ceasefire], forever?” he added.

The government has yet to declare a truce for the holidays. Bautista said the declaration was “not on their level” and was up to the recommendation of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

“If they will declare a ceasefire, it should last longer so our fellowmen will not suffer from armed struggle. We have been suffering long enough,” Bautista said.

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