Communist rebels declare unilateral ceasefire
Communist rebels on Panay Island have declared a unilateral ceasefire to focus on relief and rehabilitation efforts on areas ravaged by flooding brought last week by typhoon Frank.
In an e-mailed statement dated June 23, the Panay regional committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said it has directed New People's Army (NPA) units on the island to suspend offensive operations for two weeks or from the time their units received the directive until July 8.
Rebel spokesperson Concha Araneta said in the statement that the CPP regional leadership will assess the need for an extension of ceasefire depending on the extent of relief activities.
She said NPA units will be on a defensive mode and "will only fire their weapons if attack" by government troops, policemen, militiamen and members of the breakaway rebel group Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade.
"This ceasefire will be implemented in the whole of Panay Island within and outside guerrilla zones so that our Red Fighters can concentrate on helping residents affected by the storm and flooding," Araneta said.
She said the calamity, considered the worst flooding in the region, has affected members and families of the rebel movement.
But Araneta warned government soldiers to focus on relief operations rather than launch offensive actions against the rebel group.
The Army has not declared a ceasefire but majority of government troops on Panay Island have already shifted from combat operations to relief and rehabilitation efforts, said Lt. Col. David Tan, public information officer of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division based in Camp Macario Peralta in Jamindan town in Capiz.
The 3ID covers the islands of Panay, Negros, Bohol and Cebu and commands around 5,000 troops.
Tan said troops and military choppers and trucks have been engaged in transporting food, clothes and other assistance to far flung villages since last week. "We are ready to transport food, water and other relief assistance to hinterland villages and we challenge the NPA to be true to their declaration and not attack our troops engaged in relief work," Tan said in a telephone interview.
Army chief Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado said the rebels could coordinate with Army commanders for relief operations. But he said the rebels will be arrested if they carry firearms.
Brig. Gen. Nestor Ochoa, 3ID commander of the Army's 301st Brigade, said the ceasefire declaration is a "welcome development."
But he said government troops will not match the rebel's ceasefire declaration with their own.
"Our primary responsibility is internal security operations but our troops are already involved in relief work for flood victim," Ochoa said in an interview.
Araneta said that aside from the direct damage to houses and loss of lives, the residents will also bear the brunt of an increase in the already high prices of rice because of extensive damage to rice lands and other agricultural areas.
Panay is one of the country's biggest rice producers and considered the rice bowl of the Visayas.
After the relief activities, Araneta said its members will focus on the rehabilitation and repair of damaged crops, houses and to prepare for the coming lean months.