Saturday, December 23, 2006 Arroyo approves 4-day Christmas truce with rebels
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Thursday approved a recommendation of the Armed Forces to declare a four-day truce with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, New People's Army (NPA), during the Yuletide season.
AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the President approved the proposal during a close-door meeting with the top leaders of the military following the celebration of the 71st foundation anniversary in Camp Aguinaldo.
Esperon said the truce or suspension of offensive military operation (Somo) will take effect at 12:01 a.m. of December 24 up to midnight of December 25 and from December 31 up to January 1.
"This has nothing to do with any peace talks. It is simply a Yuletide gesture," he added.
The formal peace negotiations with the communists bogged down in 2002 following the inclusion of the NPA and the CPP in the US list of foreign terrorist organizations.
"As to our operations against the terrorists in the south, we have not recommended it and the President, in fact, would not declare any suspension of operations against the terrorists, the Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf," said Esperon.
In Negros, Army Colonel Gregorio Fajardo, commander of the 303rd Infantry Batallion, said that they will abide with the declaration of ceasefire in accordance with the guidelines stipulated.
He, however, clarified that their suspension of military operations will only be in the mountains.
In lowland and urban communities, Fajardo said, "We will be still on alert against NPA threats to attack any of the police station or military detachment in Negros."
"We are still on alert 24/7 to foil any bad intention," he added.
Fajardo has already instructed his men to guard tightly all vital government installations in the island like the Bacolod and Silay airports, Banago and Bredco ports, telecommunication towers, oil depots, churches and malls among others.
"We are all prepared even if there is a four-day ceasefire," he said.
Police Senior Superintendent Rosendo Franco, director of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO), also alerted all police stations and offices in the province.
Franco encouraged all his men to follow the deed of the four policemen in Sipalay City who defended their police station against the NPA rebels a week ago.
Both the Army and the Police will also be on alert on Dec. 29 during the NPA's 38th founding anniversary.
"I hope they will celebrate their anniversary peacefully rather than launch atrocities," Fajardo said.
Last year, the Arroyo government adopted a similar truce with the communist movement.
Meanwhile, Arroyo has given the go signal for the implementation of Operation Plan Bantay Laya II, a military master plan against various internal security threats that include the NPA.
Esperon said the plan specifically calls for the defeat of the communist insurgency by 2010 when the President's term expires.
"So, 2010 is the deadline for us to finish this communist terrorist," said Esperon.
Oplan Bantay Laya II is the revival of the original Oplan Bantay Laya, which was implemented in January 2002 but is due to end later this month.
Esperon earlier said the new campaign plan would include developmental components in the fight against insurgency.
He reported to the President the military's feats under the first Oplan Bantay Laya, including the reduction of the NPA strength from 12,000 members in 2002 to only 7,100 at present, which translates to a 1,000 reduction every year.
He also said the number of barangays affected by the communists has been declining for the past years.
From a high of 12,510 in 2004, he said the present number of barangays affected by the insurgents stand at 2,115. (EASD/With reports from Sunnex)
