Activist priest thankful to Duterte for Christmas truce

LUCENA CITY—An activist priest, who called on the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to hold a Christmas truce, expressed his gratitude Wednesday after President Duterte declared a ceasefire this holiday season.

“Thanks to President Duterte. God is really powerful and he loves the Philippines,” Fr. Pete Montallana, coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples’ Apostolate of the Diocese of Infanta in Quezon province, said in a text message.

Duterte has declared a ceasefire with the communist rebels from December 24, 2017 to January 2, 2018 as he wanted a stress-free Christmas for the Filipinos.

Montallana called on the CPP to also order its armed wing, the New People’s Army rebels, to reciprocate Duterte’s gesture and observe the traditional Yuletide ceasefire.

“Let us all pray for the cessation of all killings around us for genuine peace and order to prevail across the country,” he said.

“Nothing is impossible with the Lord,” Montallana said.

Last week, Montallana made a last-minute public appeal to Duterte to observe a truce with communist rebels this holiday season.