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MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Tuesday thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for “heeding a recommendation” to reject a festive ceasefire between the security forces and the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. .
Duterte said during his weekly address Monday night that there will be no further ceasefire for the remainder of his term.
“There will be no ceasefire ever again under my mandate ko pagka-President. For all intents and purposes, ‘the yung ceasefire is dead,’ he said.
Although the military welcomed Duterte’s decision, AFP spokesman Major General Edgard Arévalo said that “it is not because we do not want peace, but because what we defend is a genuine and lasting peace that we cannot achieve through through a peace pact with the NPA that is notoriously insincere and unworthy of the public’s trust. “
AFP said last week that it would not recommend to the president a ceasefire with the communist rebels during the holidays. The government and the NPA had traditionally been declaring ceasefires during the Christmas season.
But just a few days ago, Duterte voiced his support for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gurterres’s call for a global ceasefire on armed conflict to focus on responding to COVID-19.
“The report of the Secretary General for the global ceasefire is very welcome and appreciated…. In my country, this fight is about protecting life, while preserving the democratic values that we have restored without violence, ”he said in a recorded message at a special session of the UN General Assembly.
EDV
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