NDF open to ceasefire starting July 1

DAVAO CITY—If things go as planned, there would be no more hostilities between the communist New People’s Army (NPA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines starting July 1.

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), said it was open to signing an interim ceasefire deal with the government in time for President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s oath-taking as 16th president at the end of the month.

“President-elect Duterte will be sitting on June 30. Hopefully by (that time), the draft (agreement) we are working out would be signed and approved,” NDFP spokesperson Fidel Agcaoili told a news briefing at the Ateneo de Davao University on Wednesday night.

“We can have an interim mutual ceasefire beginning July 1. It means (the NPA) will not use not only the IEDs (improvised explosives devices), but also AK-47 and M16 (assault rifles),” he said.

Agcaoili said a five-member panel of the NDFP, among them exiled CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison, would meet with representatives of the incoming Duterte administration, led by incoming presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza, in Oslo next week.