Government panel chair Secretary Silvestre Bello III backed the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF) to reciprocate the government’s unilateral ceasefire call and help build more confidence in the peace process.
“I strongly reiterate the call of President Duterte to the CPP/NPA/NDF to reciprocate government’s ceasefire declaration in order to immediately stop violence on the ground, protect our communities from conflict, and provide an enabling environment for the resumption of formal peace negotiations,” Bello said in a statement on Friday.
His statement comes after the NPA ambushed government troops in Davao del Norte.
Bello said he was “disheartened” that the NPA failed to respect the ceasefire declared by the President during his first State of the Nation Address.
READ: Communists ask Duterte: Give us time to probe NPA attack
He added that he already talked to NDF panel member Fidel Agcaoili about the incident.
“He (Agcaoili) was informed that as far as he knows, the NPA is on active defense mode since July 26 as announced by Ka Oris. He, however, promised Sec. Bello to look into the matter,” a statement from the Office of the Peace Adviser on the Peace Process said.
Bello said that it was best that the unilateral ceasefire was reciprocated unconditionally “to build trust and confidence on the peace process”
The resumption of formal peace talks is scheduled for August 20 to 27 in Oslo, Norway.
On Thursday, Duterte demanded an explanation from the CPP on the attack of the NPA in Davao del Norte, saying he would cancel the ceasefire if they failed to give him an explanation. CDG/rga
READ: Duterte to NPA: Explain attack or I will cancel ceasefire
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