12-day unilateral ceasefire ends; military operations on

OFFENSIVE military operations against communist rebels will resume on Monday after the 12-day unilateral ceasefire declared by both parties for the Yuletide season ended Sunday.

The suspension of hostilities between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (NPA) is set to be lifted on Jan. 4 as previously and separately announced by both camps. Both the NPA and the military declared a unilateral ceasefire from Dec. 23, 2015, to Jan. 3, 2016.

However, the Philippine National Police’s own suspension of offensive police operations which ran from Dec. 23 ended last Jan. 1.

The Palace said Sunday that no government offensive was launched against the NPA even after communist rebels violated their ceasefire declaration and attacked a military unit in Camarines Sur on New Year’s day.

“Despite the encounter, the Armed Forces continue to heed the existing unilateral declaration of the Suspension of Military Operations (SOMO)  which is set to end this midnight,” Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., said on government radio.

Coloma said no military offensive will be launched because of the existing ceasefire but maintained that the police and military would remain on alert to ensure the peace and security of the people.

Coloma said that based on the report of the Southern Luzon Command, 10 NPA rebels fired at eight soldiers and six members of the Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) in barangay Scout Fuentabella in Goa, Camarines Sur, on Jan. 1. However, no one was hurt in the incident.

AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla, however,  said that upon the lifting of the unilateral ceasefire with the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines, the military will resume its operations.

“As soon as the suspension of military operations ends and the unilateral ceasefire comes to a halt, the AFP will cease its active defense mode and will switch back to full military operations against all enemies of the state,” Padilla said on Sunday.

Government forces and the communist rebels traditionally observe a unilateral ceasefire during the Christmas season.

The NPA was the first to announce its truce.

Before its ceasefire took effect, however, the NPA separately ambushed two military relief convoys in the Eastern Visayas meant for victims of Typhoon “Nona.”

During the truce itself, communist rebels also led several attacks against government troops, prompting the AFP to denounce the NPA’s outright violation of its self-declared ceasefire.

The military assured that it would support the peace process to end all hostilities and for the NPA to renounce the use of arms.

“We call on them to consider renouncing the armed struggle… Enough of the battles, it’s time to lay down their arms and work together for the country,” Padilla said.