Palace says truce with Reds should be permanent

December 4, 2018

Malacanang said on Tuesday that if there is a ceasefire with the communist rebels, it should be permanent and not only during the holiday season.

"There should be permanent truce. There should be no bloodshed as far as the government is concerned. It’s about time we stop all these bloodsheds. It’s been 50 years, my God! Let’s end the internecine among Filipinos," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.

Panelo made the statement after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he was not inclined to recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte the declaration of a unilateral holiday truce with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army.

Lorenzana has said whenever there is a suspension of the offensive military operations against the rebels, the NPA, armed wing of the CPP-National Democratic Front, has been using this to reinforce the group.

Communist rebels have been waging war against the government for about 50 years, considered as the longest running insurgency in Asia. Celerina Monte/DMS