Exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for his ‘hasty’ decision to end a unilateral government ceasefire with communist rebels which cropped out after the attack of New People’s Army (NPA) on government militias in Davao del Norte last July 27.
Volatility, lack of prudence in something as sensitive and delicate as peace negotiations between two armed fighting sides – it’s hard to agree with people who are quick to judgment,” the exiled communist leader said in a phone patch interview with ANC.
Sison said the NPA were already preparing to reciprocate the government’s ceasefire declaration at 8pm – an hour after the president lifted the ceasefire order.
The President had set at 5pm, July 30, the deadline for the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to reciprocate the government’s ceasefire declaration. With no word from the CPP, Duterte ordered the lifting of his ceasefire declaration at 7pm that day.
Pres. Duterte, after knowing the rebel attack, had warned rebels he shall withdraw the ceasefire order he gave during his first State of the Nation Address last July 25 should the New People’s Army (NPA) fail to explain the recent attack which killed a government militiaman and left four others wounded.
Reports said militiamen were withdrawn from a security mission following the president’s truce declaration. They were traveling back to their patrol base Wednesday when they came under rebel attack in southern Kapalong town in Davao del Norte province.
The NPA claimed that the government militias initiated the attack, and the rebels just fought back.
Sison said the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front) cannot be dictated upon by the Philippine leader. “Duterte could not give an ultimatum on them (CPP-NPA-NDF). They were just asking for a few more hours, days,” he said.
Lamenting the NPA attack, tough-talking Duterte has also asked the rebels to punish those behind the encounter like what the military does to erring soldiers.
Duterte, in his SONA, declared a unilateral cease-fire with the rebels in a bid foster the resumption of peace talks and end a decades-old Marxist insurgency.
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