Duterte declares ceasefire with CPP-NPA

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

Duterte made the announcement before a joint session of Congress during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

"I am announcing a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP-NPA-NDF effective immediately," he said.

He added: "I expect and call on our fellow Filipinos and the National Democratic Front and its forces to respond accordingly."

Permanent, lasting peace

Duterte also vowed to work for a "permanent and lasting peace" before he ends his term in 2022.

"That is my goal, that is my dream," he said.

In his speech, Duterte called on "our Muslim brothers" to "end the centuries of mistrust and warfare" as both sides hope to resolve the conflict.

"All of us want peace, not the peace of the dead, but the peace of the living. We express our willingness and readiness to go to the negotiating table, and yet we load our guns, fix our sights, pull the trigger. It is both ironic and tragic, and it is endless," the President said.

"To the CPP-NPA-NDF, let us end these decades of ambuscades and skirmishes. We are going nowhere and it is getting bloodier by the day," he added.

Duterte maintained that the Philippine government will uphold the existing peace agreements, in accordance with laws.

He also said that engagement with the international community on the matter will remain.

"We will vigorously address the grievances that have been time and again expressed, not only by the Bangsamoro, indigenous peoples, and other groups for security, development, fair access to decision-making, and acceptance of identities," he said. "Enduring peace can only be attained only if we meet the fundamental needs of every man, woman, and child."

NDF, AFP respond

Minutes after Duterte's declaration, NDF chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison said in a statement that they will issue a positive response "within the hour."

"I welcome President Duterte's announcement of unilateral ceasefire of the AFP and PNP in relation to the NPA.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines expressed support to Duterte's declaration of peace.

"The Commander in Chief has initiated a very bold move and we fully support him in his effort to bring sustainable and lasting peace to our whole country," military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.

Padilla said that the AFP will "abide by the Commander-in-Chief's instruction."

He, however, clarified that troops will remain on "alert and vigilant and ready to defend itself and pursue attackers if confronted by armed elements of the NPA."

"The government has shown its sincerity and we expect no less from the other party," he added. 

For his part, Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao said: "The Philippine Army will fully support the unilateral ceasefire directive of the President. It is aligned with our objective of achieving peace in our country." 

Communist rebellion

The communist rebellion has killed about 30,000 people since the 1960s.

The communists' armed wing, the New People's Army, is believed to have fewer than 4,000 gunmen today, down from a peak of 26,000 in the 1980s, according to the military.

But it retains support among the deeply poor in rural areas, and its troops regularly kill security forces while extorting money from local businesses.

Dutere's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, revived negotiations soon after taking office in 2010 but shelved them in 2013, accusing the rebels of being insincere about finding a political settlement.

The talks collapsed after the Aquino administration rejected the rebels' demand to release scores of their jailed comrades, whom they described as "political prisoners."

Duterte, who took office on June 30 and counts exiled communist rebel leader Jose Maria Sison as a friend, had previously offered to release some political prisoners.

His aides have already held preliminary talks with Sison and other senior communist leaders, during which they agreed to resume the peace negotiations next month. — with Agence France-Presse/ALG/RSJ, GMA News