(Eagle News) — The Palace on Friday welcomed the New People’s Army declaration of an eight-day ceasefire covering the holidays.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the government “expect(s)” the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA to “honor their word and comply” with the unilateral ceasefire.
He said President Rodrigo Duterte, for his part, “decided to declare a suspension of offensive military operations against the Reds precisely because he wants Filipinos to feel safer during the holiday season.”
Even then, he said that the government will “remain vigilant in ensuring the safety of our countrymen.”
“May we all stand together in fulfilling our shared desire of achieving lasting peace throughout the nation,” he said.
The NPA declared the 8-day unilateral ceasefire on Friday, days after the government declared its own.
The government’s ceasefire falls on the same days, but is six hours longer on December 26 and January 2, 2018.
The NPA said the declaration of its ceasefire was in “observance of the Filipino people’s traditional holidays and the Party’s 49th anniversary.”