PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has decided to declare a unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels effective 12 a.m. Thursday, March 19, until midnight of April 15, 2020, amid the implementation of strict quarantine measures in Luzon to combat Covid-19, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President has directed the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to issue the Suspension of Offensive Military and Police Operations (Somo) to implement the ceasefire.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were instructed to cease and desist from carrying out offensives during the ceasefire period, which is also the duration of enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

“Through this ceasefire, the Philippine Government aspires that the swift provision of public health assistance goes unimpeded with the movement of health workers and medical supplies to communities, as well as of people in need of immediate medical attention remains unhampered,” Panelo said in a statement.

The Communist Party of the Philippines has yet to respond, but on Tuesday, the party called on its armed wing, the New People’s Army, to “assist the people and their health committees in the campaign of mass mobilization against the Covid-19”.

In a post on its official Twitter account, the party said NPA units “can guide the local health committee in efforts to come up with a plan of collective response”.

“Its (NPA) Red fighters can help in sanitation drives and cleanup campaigns in villages around the areas of operations of NPA units,” it added. (SunStar Philippines from PR)