THE New People’s Army (NPA) declared effective on August 28 an interim ceasefire upon the recommendation of the negotiating panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to honor the joint agreement they signed with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) last August 26 in Oslo, Norway.
The unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire was also issued to further promote and accelerate the peace negotiations.
Based on the Communist Party of the People (CPP) website, the interim ceasefire will be in effect during the course of the peace negotiations "until superseded by a ceasefire agreement to be issued jointly by the GRP and NDFP in the next 60 days."
“The revolutionary forces in the Philippines look forward to vibrant talks in the next few months to discuss (a) social and economic reforms, (b) political and constitutional reforms, and (c) end of hostilities and disposition of forces," the CPP statement said.
It said that the interim ceasefire is also encouraged by the prospective release of all political prisoners and the remaining detained consultants of the NDFP through the issuance of Amnesty Proclamation by President Duterte.
In the wake of this development, all NPA units have to cease and desist from "carrying out offensive military campaigns and operations against the uniformed armed personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP)."
While all units of the NPA will be on defensive mode at both the strategic and tactical levels, they are to maintain a "high degree of militancy and vigilance against any hostile actions, provocations or movements of the Armed Forces including encroachment on the territory of the people’s democratic government, surveillance and other offensive operations that are labeled as peace and development, civil-military, peace and order, anti drugs campaign, medical missions or law enforcement."
Active-defense actions shall also be undertaken only in the face of clear and imminent danger and actual armed attack by any forces and only after exhausting counter-maneuvers to avoid armed encounters.