President Rodrigo Duterte gave the New People's Army (NPA) an extension till Saturday, 5 in the afternoon, to explain their side for the ambushed done with the members of paramilitary group Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
Earlier, the president declared the unilateral ceasefire to Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA-National Democratic Front(NDF) during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 25.
The attacked in Brgy. Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte was left one dead and three injured.
Upon the visit of Duterte at the headquarters of the 60th Infantry Battalion in Asuncion, Davao del Norte on Friday, July 29, Duterte said that he was extending the deadline for the NPA to give their side and it's also the request of CPP founder Jose Maria Sison.
Duterte also added that if he would not receive a justifiable reason for the attack, he would have no other course but to retract the ceasefire declaration.
Presidential Spokeman Ernesto Abella said in a press conference in Malacañang, on Friday, “As soon as the trust is restored then things will proceed as agreed upon," when a day after Duterte threatened to withdraw the unilateral ceasefire declared.
"I was disheartened by the NPA’s failure to respect the unilateral ceasefire declared by the president," Chief government peace negotiator, Silvestre Bello III said.
“I strongly reiterate the call of President Duterte to the CPP/NPA/NDF to reciprocate government’s ceasefire declaration in order to immediately stop violence on the ground, protect our communities from conflict, and provide an enabling environment for the resumption of formal peace negotiations,” Bello said in a statement.
NPA's Comval North Davao South Agusan Subregional Command representative Aris Francisco said on a discharged explanation, on Friday that they simply "thwarted on a military offensive" which was in adherence to the order by the NPA National Operations Command for Red warriors to keep up on ready status and on dynamic guard mode in light of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte's announced one-sided truce.
Franciso also said, "Determined to continue its offensive military operations in Kapalong, the same troops ignored the ceasefire declaration of their commander-in-chief and again took off for combat operation from their detachment in Brgy. Patil on July 26."
Source: CNNPhilippines