AFP: No word yet on holiday truce with CPP-NPA

There is no word yet if the Philippine military will declare a Christmas truce with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), even after the rebels declared a 12-day ceasefire.

"The CPP declaration of a ceasefire from the 23rd of December 2015 until January 3 of the following year is unilateral," said Col. Restituto Padilla, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), at a press briefing on Tuesday.

Pending official declaration from Malacañang, Padilla said the military and the police will continue to conduct "focused military operations" against "threat groups in the country."

Despite his statement, Padilla urged the CPP and its units, particularly the New People's Army (NPA), to "strictly abide by this self-declared ceasefire" and to "live up to their promise of non-violent and peaceful holidays for Filipinos."

He also expressed confidence that President Benigno Aquino III, the military's commander in chief, will approve the recommendation to declare a ceasefire against the communists.

"Yung annual na ceasefire na 'yan ay traditional in nature, at makakaasa din tayo na oras na ito ay makuha at maaprubahan ng ating Pangulo na siya ring ating commander in chief, ito ay inaanunsyo natin sa lahat at malalaman ito ng ating mga kababayan," Padilla said.

The Philippine government ended formal peace talks with the communist party in April 2013, although there have been calls for the government and the communist group to return to the negotiating table. —KBK, GMA News