Rizal 2nd District Rep. Fidel Nograles called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines and New People’s Army (NPA) to respect the ceasefire declared by President Rodrigo Duterte amid efforts to battle COVID-19 pandemic.
This, as an Army soldier and an alleged fighter of the NPA were killed in a clash in Montalban, Rizal on Saturday. The town is part of Nograles’ district.
“We simply cannot operate under an air of mistrust. It is counterproductive.”
According to Captain Jayrald Ternio of the public affairs office of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, an estimated 30 NPA rebels attacked a group of 18 soldiers in Barangay Puray at around 3 p.m. on Saturday.
“Nananawagan tayo sa AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) at NPA—sundin po natin ang ceasefire. Mayroon tayong laban na mas malaki pa sa ideolohiya at paniniwala natin.” (I am calling on the AFP and NPA. Respect the ceasefire. We are against an enemy bigger than the ideologies we believe)
“Hindi natin ito masusugpo kung hindi tayo magkakaisa,” Nograles said. (This cannot be defeated unless we become one)
Duterte earlier declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing — the NPA — from March 19 to April 15.
National Democratic Front consultant Jose Maria Sison meanwhile, has reportedly agreed to recommend that the NPA also declare a unilateral truce with the government following the call of the United Nations for a global truce amid the pandemic.
“We need a united front if we are to survive this pandemic,” the neophyte lawmaker said.
The Rizal solon urged representatives of both the government and the NPA to maintain open communication lines and to reassure the public that a truce will be observed.
“We simply cannot operate under an air of mistrust. It is counterproductive. Ang kailangan natin, total focus sa kasalukuyang kaaway, na hindi kapwa Filipino, kundi virus.”