NPA ambush on militiamen won’t affect peace talks –Palace 

Malacañang on Friday said the government remains committed to the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) despite President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to lift the unilateral ceasefire following the ambush staged by CPP’s armed wing on government militiamen.

“I expect that everything will still work out alright,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said, referring to the peace talks scheduled on August 20 to 27 in Norway.

On Thursday, Duterte demanded an explanation from the CPP on the ambush incident in Davao del Norte, as he threatened to lift the unilateral ceasefire he announced during his first state address.

“If you do not honor or you kill a single soldier or a CAFGU, which is also a soldier of the Republic, eh sabi ko kalimutan na natin ito. Fight na lang,” Duterte said.

Abella said Duterte has yet to make a final decision as of Friday morning but “he is giving a small window of opportunity” to the CPP to explain the incident.

“They’re supposed to be reciprocating as soon as possible,” the Palace spokesperson said.

In a separate statement, government peace panel chair and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the ambush of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Davao del Norte was “disheartening.”

“It is disheartening that the NPA failed to respect the unilateral ceasefire declared by President Duterte last Monday during the SONA. Barely two days after this ceasefire declaration, the NPA ambushed yesterday government forces killing one CAFGU member and wounding four others in Davao del Norte,” Bello said.

Bello said he confronted National Democratic Front (NDF) panel member Fidel Agcaoili and he was informed that as far as he knows, the NPA is on active defense mode since July 26 as announced by Ka Oris, a rebel leader. 

NDF chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni, in a television interview, said it was already investigating the attack made by the NPA, and that it should not be a hindrance to the ongoing peace initiatives.

"Yung nangyari noong July 27 kahapon ay iimbestigahin, at as soon as possible makagawa ng report yung NPA at aayusin para hindi maging balakid sa paghanap ng peace negotiations at just and lasting peace," Jalandoni told Jessica Soho on GMA News TV's "State of the Nation."

Jalandoni also reiterated their plea to Duterte to release political prisoners, to which Abella said: “As soon as the trust is restored, then things will proceed as agreed upon.” —KBK, GMA News