Gov't, NDFP execs recommend ceasefire during holiday season

Representatives of the government (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace panels have agreed to recommend to their principals the issuance of a "unilateral and reciprocal" nationwide ceasefires for around 15 days during the holiday season.

In a joint statement released on the Facebook page of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison, GRP and NDFP officials said they have agreed to recommend the truce effective from December 23, 2019 at 12 a.m. to January 7, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.

During this period, the respective armed units and personnel of the two parties will "cease and desist" to launch offensive military operations against another.

"The ceasefires are intended to generate a positive environment conducive to the holding of informal talks preparatory to the formal meeting to resume the peace negotiations," the statement read.

"These shall be measures of goodwill and confidence building during the traditional celebrations of Christmas and New Year holidays," it added.

The joint statement was signed on December 21 in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The signatories of the statement for the Philippine government are Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who served as chief peace negotiator, and Hernani Braganza, former secretary and authorized negotiator.

Meanwhile, NDFP negotiating panel senior adviser Luis Jalandoni and chairperson Fidel Agcaoili signed for the part of the communist rebels.

The two parties will issue their corresponding ceasefire orders separately.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV aired on GMA News TV on Sunday, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said he could not say yet whether President Rodrigo Duterte will agree to the recommended ceasefire.

"Merong rekomendasyon pero hindi pa natin alam kung aaprubahan ng Presidente," he said.

He added there may already be a decision from the President by Monday.

Duterte recently ordered Bello to talk to Sison, months after terminating the dialogues in March this year.

Bello flew to The Netherlands on December 6 and was able to speak with Sison.

The government’s former chief negotiator disclosed last week that the negotiations might resume in January and that Sison agreed to a "face to face meeting" with Duterte. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News