Philippines' Communist Party unilaterally declares 2-day Christmas cease-fire

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) — The armed wing of the Philippines' Communist Party declared a unilateral two-day cease-fire beginning on Christmas Day, local media reported on Sunday

The Communist Party of Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA) said in a statement that they were calling the cease-fire to mark the 55th anniversary of the CPP, local English-language daily the Manila Times reported.

All NPA units will "observe a two-day suspension of tactical offensives starting at 12.01 a.m. local time (1601GMT) of December 25 and ending at 11:59 p.m. (1559GMT) of December 26," the statement added.

The cease-fire "aims to allow the peasant masses and NPA units in their area to conduct assemblies, meetings or gatherings to celebrate the Party's anniversary, look back at past achievements, and pay tribute to all heroes and martyrs of the Philippine revolution," it said.

The statement further said that the cease-fire declaration was also in solidarity with "people's traditional holiday celebrations."

The Armed Forces of the Philippines rejected the NPA's unilateral cease-fire, the newspaper reported.

Established in 1969, the NPA has been waging the longest-running Maoist insurgency in the world.

CPP's political wing, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Philippine government, agreed to come up with a framework to restart the peace talks.