No more ceasefire with Reds? Bato says gov't now 'awake'

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, a former top cop of the administration, on Tuesday welcomed the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte that there will be no more ceasefire with the New People's Army (NPA) until his term ends in 2022.

"That kind of government attitude towards ceasefire is long overdue. The government has finally awakened from deep slumber characterized by deceitful means employed by the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front)," Dela Rosa said in a message.

Another former chief of the Philippine National Police, Senator Panfilo Lacson said some "localized" ceasefires are still feasible.

"Since peace talks are now localized, ceasefire with the NPA rebels is better discussed at the local level as well, probably on a case-to-case basis," Lacson said in a message.

"Rebels who may wish to lay down their arms but wouldn't know how to go about it could find confidence to do so if a localized ceasefire is in force," he added.

Aside from pronouncing that the possibility of having a ceasefire with the NPA is "dead," Duterte also thumbed down reviving peace talks with the NDF.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines thanked Duterte for making it clear that there would be no holiday truce with the Reds, reiterating its claim that communist rebels were "insincere and unworthy of public trust."—AOL, GMA News