Duterte first declared a ceasefire with the communist group during his first State of the Nation Address on July 25, but he revoked it five days later because of the failure of the rebels to declare their own truce.
“Today, the President restores the effects of that ceasefire declaration precisely at this strategic time when we are all at the onset of the formal resumption of peace talks that had previously stalled for the last four years. The operational guidelines of the said ceasefire declaration for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and other security units of the government are also hereby restored,” Dureza said.
“Our citizens deserve no less. They wish to live peaceful lives bereft of the costs and tragic consequences of conflict and violence. The enabling environment brought about by this ‘silencing of the guns’ will hopefully go a long way in bringing about an expeditious and early resolution to our differences and aspirations that have long divided us as a people,” he added.
Dureza, head of the government’s delegation in the peace talks with communist rebels, will leave for Oslo today.
He said the President worked for the unprecedented release from detention of 20 prisoners who are needed in the talks.
“As we speak, there is continuing effort to make available in the Oslo peace talks resumption as many of them as possible. I say again: the Duterte government will walk the extra mile for peace,” he added.
Released
On Friday, Rubi Del Mundo, a rebel spokesman, said the NDF ordered the release of prisoners of war Chief Inspector Arnold S. Ongachen and Police Officer 1 Michael B. Grande. Both policemen were captured by the New People’s Army rebels in separate operations.
He said the captives will be handed over to the government as soon as Manila suspends military and police operations against rebel forces. He said the release of the two policemen is a gesture of goodwill for the formal resumption of the peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway.
“The People’s Democratic Government’s judicial proceedings and investigations into POW Ongachen and POW Grande’s possible war crimes and violation of people’s rights have been effectively suspended in deference to appeals of their families and peace advocates. POW Ongachen and POW Grande have apologized for their violations against the people,” Del Mundo said.
He said the government should also immediately release all the remaining 540 political prisoners languishing in various jails across the country.
“The NDFP expects the immediate release of the remaining 540 political prisoners in compliance of the Duterte government to the Comprehensive Agreement for Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and the Joint Agreement for Security and Immunity Guarantees. The success of the talks en route to a viable peace accord between the two governments in the Philippines rests in the main on GPH’s—especially the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police and their paramilitaries’—adherence to previous agreements and the serious deliberation of the roots of the civil war. In these objectives, the NDFP and the entire revolutionary movement have been and continue to be firmly resolute,” Del Mundo said.