MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte called for a ceasefire with armed communist rebels with the country still trying to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“‘Wag ninyo munang galawin ang mga sundalo. Ceasefire muna tayo. Ako na ang nanghihingi,” Duterte said in an address to the nation on Monday evening, adding the New People’s Army (NPA) should do their share by temporarily refraining from attacking government forces.
Duterte’s appeal came after he placed the entire island of Luzon under an expanded quarantine.
“Kindly give me that… if you really want that we will be at all times on talking terms, in this time of crisis,” The President said. “Kindly cooperate and help… I will repay you with a good heart in the coming days.”
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) said it will “seriously study” Duterte’s offer for a ceasefire.
The NDFP’s Jose Maria Sison, however, said that the President must make a formal offer to show his sincerity.
“If he is really serious with his offer to have a ceasefire with the NDFP, he must make a formal offer through the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) negotiating panel to the NDFP negotiating panel,” Sison said in a statement.
According to Sison, the NDFP would strongly call on the government to pour public funds to efforts that will fight COVID-19, or the coronavirus disease 2019. These include having an adequate number of health workers, facilities, equipment and medicines.
When Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016, hopes are high for the end of communist insurgency in the Philippines due to his close ties with Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison.
In September 2018, Duterte said that the communist insurgency may be over by the second quarter of 2019 following the surrendering of NPA members and fall of several guerilla fronts in Mindanao as indicators.
The country now has 142 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 14 deaths. Three have recovered from the highly contagious disease./PN
