President Rodrigo Duterte said there will be no ceasefire with communist rebels—ot during this holiday season nor at any point during the remaining one and a half years of his administration.
"There will be no ceasefire ever again under my term as President. For all intents and purposes, the ceasefire is dead," Duterte said in a public address late Monday night.
The President also extinguished any hope at reviving the stalled peace negotiations between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front.
He said peace talks will not prosper because communist rebels are seeking either a power-sharing coalition with his administration or a power grab by overthrowing the government.
"No stupid president will allow a coalition government. You will get impeached because you are not supposed to share power," the President said.
"All of you communists are conspiring to overthrow the government of the Republic of the Philippines. No one will allow you—not the government, not the military, and not the majority of the Filipino people," he added.
Formal peace negotiations between the government and the CPP-NDF were terminated by Duterte in November 2017.
The commander-in-chief likewise signed a proclamation declaring the CPP and its armed wing, the New People's Army, as terrorist groups and directed the Department of Justice to begin a proscription case before the proper court.
Despite failure to revive formal talks, a 16-day truce was still declared in December 2019.
Last week, military spokesman Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said the Armed Forces will not recommend a truce with the rebel group.
Arevalo pointed out that the ceasefire period was just being used by the NPA to continue attacking and killing government troops and civilians.
