SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur – The National Democratic Front (NDF) in Northeastern Mindanao has extended its ceasefire with government forces until the end of this month pending the release of four police officers and a civilian police office staff held captive by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels since last month.
In a statement, Ka Maria Malaya, spokesperson of NDF in Northeastern Mindanao Region, said all operating units in the towns of San Miguel, Tago, Tandag City, Cortez, Lanuza, Carmen, Madrid, Cantilan and Carrascal towns in Surigao del Sur and the entire province of Surigao del Norte had been ordered to continue to suspend all offensive operations until midnight of August 31.
Malaya said the ceasefire declaration was to ensure the safety and security of the “Prisoners of War” (POW), third party facilitators, NPA custodial units and others who will attend to witness the release of captives PO1 Richard Yu of municipal police station of Carmen in Surigao del Sur; PO2 Caleb Sinaca, PO3 Jayroll Bagayas and NPU Rodrigo Angob of the Malimono municipal police station and SPO3 Santiago Lamanilao of the Surigao City Police Office in Surigao del Norte.
The NDF earlier declared a nationwide ceasefire starting August 21 until midnight of August 27 as “gesture of goodwill” with the resumption of peace talks in Oslo, Norway with the Philippine government peace panel.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday night declared a ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the NPA.
“I am joining the Communist Party of the Philippines in its desire to seek peace for this nation,” the President said at 11:35 p.m. Wednesday.
READ: Duterte declares ceasefire with CPP-NPA, tells troops to abide by order
Duterte also ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to abide by the ceasefire declaration.
“We expect that the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (AFP-PNP-CAFGU) and its paramilitary forces will abide by the order of its commander-in-chief and will have completely suspended the offensive military operations especially in the abovementioned areas,” Malaya said.
She said the release of NPA captives is set within this ceasefire period that all NPA units must move to a more secure location to prepare themselves and the masses in the area against possible attacks by enemy forces.
The first NPA captive P01 Richard Vaz Yu was snatched by NPA Front 30- NEMR on July 5 in the village of San Vicente in Carmen, Surigao del Sur based on reports of his involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the municipality.
Four others, PO2 Caleb Sinaca, PO3 Jayroll Bagayas and Rodrigo Angob, a non-uniformed personnel of the Malimono Municipal Police Station and SPO3 Santiago Lamanilao of the Surigao City Police Office in Surigao del Norte were arrested in the village of Cagtinae in Malimono by a team of the NPA Front 16 for links to prohibited drugs and gambling. CDG/rga
READ: NPA rebels take 3 cops captive, say it’s to help Rody