(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte announced the lifting of the ceasefire with the communist rebels effective Friday night (February 3) because of the recent killings of soldiers done by the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.
The President made the announcement during the ceremonial switch-on of the M’lang Solar Powered Irrigation System (MSPIS) first prototype in Barangay Janiuay, M’lang, Cotabato on Friday afternoon.
“I tried my best. Pero parang kanta, But my best was not good enough,” he said.
He said that he has too many dead soldiers in the last 48 hours, so he decided Thursday night to lift the ceasefire.
-Communist demands, too huge-
“I really tried but the demands are too huge that it is impossible to meet or even work out a compromise,” Mr. Duterte said.
“Kaya kagabi, I decided, I called General (Eduardo) Ano and said na i-lift yung ceasefire tonight,” he said as he cited his call to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff.
He said that the fact that the communist leaders are talking in Oslo and in Rome should have been a good sign that the National Democratic Front was serious in pursuing the peace talks, but he said what is happening on the ground is that the NPA is killing too many soldiers even before their announced termination of the unilateral ceasefire on February 10.
The communist leaders were also asking the President earlier to release all of the 400 remaining political prisoners even before a peace deal was signed. Duterte earlier rejected this, saying he was already giving them too much.
But the brutal killings of soldiers by the NPA rebels within a span of two days, made the President to decide on the lifting of the ceasefire.
“Pag dini-disappoint ang military, pati pulis, baka madisgrasya pa ako,” the President said.
“I have to take into account civil society, Congress, the military, and the police because I already lost so many soldiers in just 48 hours,” he said.
The President thus advised soldiers to “go back to your camps, clean your rifles, and be ready to fight.”
“I am so sorry but that is how it is,” he said.
“There will be no peace with the communists for the next generation. I tried but I am at the losing edge of the bargain,” he added.
-AFP condemns brutal killings of soldiers by NPA-
Also on Friday, February 3, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) condemned the brutal killings of soldiers done recently by the New People’s Army, including the “overkill” of two soldiers who had been pumped with more than 20 bullets.
In a press conference, AFP spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said three soldiers were brutally killed in Bukidnon by the NPA rebels last Wednesday (February 1) while the military men were helping conduct community development projects.
Padilla said one of the soldiers even bore 27 bullet wounds, while a second soldier died after sustaining 24 gunshot wounds.
At least 24 bullet marks were also found in the remains of the third soldier killed by the NPA rebels.
This was based on the report of the PNP Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO).
Padilla said three other soldiers are still being held by the NPA.
The AFP spokesperson said that the NPA had launched 18 attacks against the government troops, although the rebels’ declared withdrawal of the ceasefire was still to take effect on February 10.
-National day of mourning for slain soldiers, recommended –
“The armed forces are recommending a national day of mourning” for the fallen soldiers, he stated.
The killing of the 3 soldiers happened in Barangay Kibalabag in Malaybalay City at about 5 pm of February 1, 2017, which was just hours after the NPA spokesman “Ka Oris” announced the NPA was lifting its August 28 unilateral ceasefire.
