Troops return to barracks as gov’t declares truce with CPP-NPA

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Sunday started the implementation of the indefinite ceasefire declaration of President Rodrigo Duterte, a day before peace talks between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) start in Oslo, Norway.

"All combat operations have been cancelled, suspended. All combat operations have already stopped," Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao said in an interview.

"We are now going back to the barracks. Some field units are still on their way [to barracks]. But definitely we no longer have ongoing combat operations," Hao added.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza on Saturday announced that Duterte has declared an indefinite unilateral ceasefire with the CPP-NPA after the communist group issued a seven-day ceasefire order to its units ahead of the resumption of peace talks in Oslo, Norway.

The CPP-NPA's ceasefire will be effective from 12:01 a.m. of August 21 until 11:59 p.m. of August 27.

Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels in his State of the Nation Address but lifted it several days later later when NPA forces killed one militiaman and injured four others in an ambush in Davao del Norte.

No pullout

Hao, meanwhile, said the military will continue routine law enforcement operations and patrols to ensure the safety of its bases and the community.

"There is no instruction (from higher authorities) for us to pullout from the communities. The instruction is for us to combat operations so we will stop our combat operations. Focused military operations have corresponding orders so these were already cancelled," Hao said.

The Army official noted that the AFP heavily favors the possibility of a peace agreement and an end to the long conflict with the CPP-NPA.

"The Philippine Army is one of the groups in favor of the peace talks because we are in the ground, fighting the rebels," Hao said.

"It's also favorable to the soldiers because we've been fighting this war for so long and we hope its going to be over," he added.

Hao mentioned that soldiers will remain on alert from possible incidents similar to the one in Davao del Norte.

"We already have an experience on this…We don't want our troops getting killed so we already alerted them, make sure that they are secured. We have adopted personnel security measures," Hao said.

Hao said they are hoping for the CPP-NPA's commitment to the peace talks, which will run from August 22 to 28.

"We hope they are sincere. We hope they are happy with that. We hope they will extend it. We hope we can achieve a lot, especially when it comes to peace in our country," he said. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/ALG, GMA News