Rebel attacks imperil Philippines ceasefire

A series of attacks carried by insurgents in various parts of the Philippines is placing in peril the peace process the government, rebels and international community had worked hard to get in motion, officials say.

Armed attacks carried out by fighters of the New Peoples Army (NPA) rebel group — in the Mindanao provinces of Bukidnon, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Compostella as well as Isabela and Batangas provinces — over the past several days from Sunday have put a unilateral ceasefire respectively implemented by the government and communist forces, in peril.

“We are distressed and extremely disturbed by the recent series of attacks and harassment, allegedly by New People’s Army (NPA) elements, in various areas nationwide,” Jesus Dureza, President Rodrigo Duterte’s chief peace adviser said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon.

According to Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, Brig Gen Restituto Padilla, two unarmed soldiers were killed on Monday in Echague town, Isabela province.

Three other members of the Philippine Army were hurt in a raid carried out by the NPA in Surigao City on the same day.

Early in the morning of Tuesday, some 30 heavily armed men wearing uniforms with patches of the Philippine Air Force, swooped down at the popular Pico de Loro Resort in Nasugbu, Batangas and confiscated the weapons of the establishment’s private security personnel.

A report by radio station dzRH said the rebels carted off more than 40 firearms owned by the resort.

On January 19, candidates of the recently concluded Miss Universe pageant held a photo shoot at the resort.

According to Dureza, it was puzzling that the rebels would carry out the armed attacks despite the current peace process.

Nevertheless, he remained optimistic that matters could still be ironed out and the parlays would still proceed.

“The unilateral ceasefire was precisely set in place to provide an enabling environment for the ongoing peace talks and also to secure the support of the stakeholders and the bigger public in understanding and supporting these unprecedented, although small but significant steps, for sustainable peace in the land,” he said.

“We do not wish to unnecessarily squander those gains that even saw President Duterte exercising strong political will to move the peace process forward,” he added.

He expressed suspicion that there are still some elements in the communist underground movement that are still not solidly supporting efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement to the 48-year-old Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-led insurgency movement.

“Either some in National Democratic Front (NDF) leadership talking to the government are not in full control of their own forces on the ground or they are themselves undermining these efforts for sustainable peace, or pressuring government for certain concessions,” he surmised.

When it formally assumed authority in July, among the first steps taken by the Duterte administration was to restart peace negotiations with the communists which was mothballed under the presidency of Benigno Aquino III.

In August, the first round of negotiations started in Oslo, hosted by the Norwegian Royal Norwegian government. Another batch of parlays took place in the same country and last week, the third round of talks was held in Rome, Italy.

“The president will definitely walk the extra mile for peace. But our counterparts on the other side of the peace table must also reciprocate accordingly and do the same. The road to peace is not smooth and easy. Let us all help to successfully traverse it,” Dureza said

source : gulfnews