President Rodrigo Duterte lifted the unilateral ceasefire at 7 pm on Saturday, July 30, after the communist rebels failed to declare their own ceasefire by the deadline he gave them at 5 pm. This move prompted Communist Party of the Philippines Jose Maria Sison to call Duterte “volatile” and “butangero.”
“Kailanman ay hindi puwedeng utusan ni Duterte ang rebolusyunaryong grupo na sumunod sa kanyang gusto,” Sison said, as reported by Radyo Inquirer.
Sison added that the CPP-NPA was slated to announce that they are going to reciprocate the government’s ceasefire at 8 pm.
GMA News Online reported that in a television interview, Sison said that this decision is based on the recommendation of the National Democratic Front (NDF) based in The Netherlands.
“May announcement na gagawin ng 8 pm today (July 30) pero ang magpapasya na sa (implementasyon) yung mga rebolusyonaryong nasa Pilipinas. Sila na ang magpapasya kung ilalabas nila,” Sison said.
As for Duterte’s move in revoking the ceasefire, Sison told ANC via phone interview, “Masyado namang volatile ang Presidente na bagong halal.”
Radyo Inquirer also quoted the CPP founder saying, “Masyadong butangero (hoodlum) yang si Duterte at gusto niya ay gulo agad… kung ayaw niya ng katahimikan eh di huwag…”
The same report said that Sison reportedly called Duterte a “bully” and that this tactic will not work on the communist rebels.
“Hindi pwedeng mag ultimatum. Pinag-uusapan dito oras at araw lang. Kung lumampas yan ng ilang buwan, ayan puwedeng uminit ang ulo, magbigay ng ultimatum,” GMA News Online quoted Sison.
“Mahirap makipagkasundo sa ganyang mga bigla-biglaan,” he added.
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Duterte puts halt to ceasefire
Duterte ordered to revoke the ceasefire with this statement posted on Facebook by the Presidential Communications Operations Office.
“Let me announce that I am hereby ordering for the immediate lifting of the unilateral ceasefire that I ordered last July 25 against the communist rebels.
Correspondingly, I am ordering the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to also withdraw the operational guidelines they issued in pursuance to that ceasefire declaration.
I am ordering all security forces to be on high alert and continue to discharge their normal functions and mandate to neutralize all threats to national security, protect the citizenry, enforce the laws and maintain peace in the land.”
What then of the peace talks in Oslo?
Sison said that the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the NDF should still continue.
“As far as I am concerned, dapat ituloy ang August 20 to 27 formal talks sa Oslo,” he was quoted saying in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.
Sison previously said that Duterte should give CPP-NDF enough time to study the implications of the ceasefire order. He also insisted that the NPA action against the CAFGU unit in Davao Del Norte on July 27 that killed 1 militiaman and wounded 4 others was the rebels’ way of defending themselves against the militiamen’s planned attack.
Sison and his former student, Duterte, used to have an amicable relationship, as what can be observed from their discussion over Skype during the campaign period. They talked about the possibility of Sison coming home if Duterte becomes President.
Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza also said that the end to the ceasefire will not affect the peace talks process.
“Let’s wait and see. But so far, as of the moment, there is no supervening factor that will affect the upcoming talks in Oslo,” Dureza told GMA News Online via text message.
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