/ AFP / Noel Celis /
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday slammed communist rebels for violating the ceasefire they themselves declared for the holidays.
“Itong mga komunistang ito, hambugero. Kung magsalita, akala mo kung sino,” Duterte said, speaking in a briefing on the effects of “Vinta” in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.
He noted that despite the ceasefire the rebels themselves declared, “may inatake nanaman sila.”
President Duterte did not specifically say what the rebels attacked, but earlier the 10th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said around 30 members of the New People’s Army had tried to abduct a member of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary in Compostela Valley on December 25.
It added that on the same day, an undetermined number of rebels “harassed” a militia outpost in the province.
It said a two-minute firefight ensued, resulting in deaths on the rebel side.
According to Duterte, since there is no agreement between the government and the NPA, the “forces of government are free to operate.”
“E inumpisahan nila,” Duterte said.
The government declared a unilateral ceasefire with the NPA on December 19, effective 6 p.m. on December 23 to 11:59 p.m. on December 26, and on the same hours from December 30 to January 2, 2018.
The NPA later declared its own ceasefire, which was effective from 6 p.m. on December 23 to 6 p.m. on December 26, and from December 30 to January 2, 2018, during the same hours.