AGREEMENT on a bilateral ceasefire between the government and communist rebels would be a good way to start the new year and to push long and lasting peace in the country, the military said Monday.
“Hopefully, 2017 will start with a good joint declaration,” military spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said, noting that both the government and rebel panels are keen on signing a ceasefire despite disagreements on the release of more than 400 political prisoners.
President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier promised to release the prisoners but later demanded that the communist National Democratic Front first agree to a ceasefire before he issues an amnesty for all detained communist rebels.
Padilla said the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is confident that what was started last year between the government and the NDF will continue to prosper this year.
The positive peace outlook has already resulted in separate but independent ceasefire declarations late last year.
“Based on the Armed Forces’ perspective, we are all supportive of the President’s agenda to have a long lasting peace and justice with the [communists] and we are looking forward to more positive steps this year,” Padilla said.
“The year 2016 was a pioneering year for the resumption of peace talks. It was a good year for the resumption of the peace talks and hopefully year 2017 will start with a good joint [ceasefire] declaration,” he added.
Meanwhile, Col. Edgard Arevalo, chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office, said the military and the Philippine National Police have vowed to dismantle the drug trafficking apparatus of lawless armed groups, like the Maute group in Mindanao.
Arevalo in an interview made special mention of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
“We will relentlessly pursue the BIFF focusing on its organization and support systems that enables them to resist government operations to neutralize them,” Arevalo said.
“We will, together with the PNP, dismantle their machinery for illegal drugs trade and destroy their links with like-minded terrorist groups,” he added.