(Eagle News)-President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the “declaration of a unilateral and reciprocal ceasefire” with Communist rebels.
The Palace issued the statement on the President’s order of the ceasefire from midnight of Dec. 23 to 11:59 p.m. of Jan. 7 after National Democratic Front of the Philippines and government representatives recommended the ceasefire for the holidays.
“The Chief Executive has instructed the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, to issue an official declaration therefor and communicate the directive for a national armistice with the CPP-NPA-NDF to their respective agents and armed units for due observance during the period,” Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in the statement.
He said the President also ordered “the reconstitution of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) Negotiating Panel, naming Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea as among its members.”
