26 Aug President Duterte declares Ceasefire Again as he Seeks Peace for the Nation
On August 24, Wednesday night, President Rodrigo Duterte again declared ceasefire as the peace talks between the government (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) carries on its third day in Oslo, Norway. He then persuades government troops to “be friendly” with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
President Duterte stated during a press briefing in Davao City, “Effective 11:35pm as of today, August 24, I am declaring a ceasefire. So I’m joining the Communist Party of the Philippines in its desire to seek peace for this nation.”
The president then told the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to avoid unfriendly behavior towards revolutionary forces of CPP. As he spoke, “We do not go into antagonistic behavior in front of whoever and as a matter of fact, I am encouraging people in the government, the military, and the police, to be friendly with the forces of the revolutionary government of the CPP.” He added that he wanted to prolong the ceasefire.
The announcement of the ceasefire “is mainly based on a consensus and the concurrence of all the commanding generals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the other day” with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, President Duterte said.
President Duterte stated, “As president, my main task is to seek the peace for my country. I am not the president who would enjoy waging war against the citizens of this republic.”
He added that many lives were lost for 45 years in combat with CPP and his upset that peace talks should have done a long time ago. As he spoke, “It pains me deeply to see, people dying for their ideology na pwede naman nating magpag-usapan ng mapayapa, just like now.”
“That is my regret for my mission, sana noon pa ito. Wala nang masyadong patayan, at magagamit ko pa yung pera, para sa mga mahihirap na Pilipino,” President Duterte ended.
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