Duterte ends truce with Reds

President Rodrigo Duterte

MLANG, North Cotabato — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday asked soldiers to “go back to your camp, clean your rifle and be ready to fight” as he said he was terminating the government’s unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels.

“There will be no peace in this land vis-à-vis the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines). Sa kanila February 10 pa pero marami na akong patay na sundalo (They said they are ending it on February 10, but many of my soldiers have already died),” he said in a speech at the launching of the solar-powered irrigation system in Barangay (village) Janiuay here.

He said it was pointless “to continue with the ceasfire.”

“(It) will not produce anything,” the President added.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed Duterte’s termination of the government’s unilateral ceasefire with the New People’s Army, pledging to run after the communist rebels.

“We will go after the NPA to prevent them from conducting atrocities and criminal activities against the public. And we will hit them hard,” Gen. Eduardo Año, AFP chief, said in a statement.

But the Central Command (CentCom) will continue to uphold the unilateral ceasefire it declared against the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Visayas Region, said Lt. Col. Luzmindo Mamaug Jr., Centcom spokesperson.

Mamauag said that as of 6 p.m. yesterday they haven’t received any word from higher headquarters of suspension of the unilateral ceasefire against the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“(But) if ever ang president magsulti (the president will tell us) to continue the fight, we will then. We are always prepared for war. That is our way of living-soldiery,” Mamaug said.

The NPA announced on Wednesday the termination of its unilateral ceasefire effective Feb. 10 but said it would still support the peace talks, the fourth round of which is scheduled later this month in The Netherlands.

The government and communists each declared a unilateral ceasefire last August. It was broken after a firefight in Makilala, North Cotabato last week, which left one rebel dead.

Six soldiers, including an Army lieutenant, were killed, and several incidents of abduction and extortion, supposedly done by the NPA, have been reported by the military since Sunday.

Because of the ongoing negotiations between the government and the communists, the military earlier recommended maintaining the ceasefire. The President, however, wanted to lift the government ceasefire as of Thursday night.

“We welcome the pronouncement of the President because the AFP has to do its mandate of protecting the people, securing the community and taking care of our own soldiers too,” Año said.

But he said the AFP would continue to support the peace talks.

“We hear the people’s clamor for peace and are willing to work hard to attain it, but it is unfortunate that the CPP-NPA-NDF chooses to play deaf,” he said.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Pary of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered Año to place the troops on high alert following the President’s instructions.

“I have instructed the chief of staff to place our troops on high alert and to continue their protection of the communities under their care, wherever they are,” Lorenzana said.