Central Committee
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)
and
National Operational Command
New People’s Army (NPA)
August 28, 2016
THE Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Operational Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) hereby declare to all commands and units of the NPA and people’s militias an interim ceasefire in line with the recommendation of the Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and in pursuit of the August 26 Joint Statement of the NDFP and Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) on the resumption of formal peace negotiations.
This unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire is being issued by the CPP and NPA to further promote peace negotiations between the NDFP and the GRP and boost efforts to accelerate it. It reciprocates the indefinite ceasefire issued by the GRP President last August 21.
This unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire shall take effect today and will remain valid during the course of peace negotiations until superseded by a ceasefire agreement to be issued jointly by the NDFP with the GRP within the next 60 days or until a notice of termination of this ceasefire declaration takes effect 10 days after receipt of said notice by the GRP Negotiating Panel from the NDFP Negotiating Panel.
The CPP and NPA are encouraged by the positive outcome of the resumption of formal talks held in Oslo, Norway on August 22-26. The revolutionary forces in the Philippines look forward to vibrant talks in the course of the next few months to discuss (a) social and economic reforms, (b) political and constitutional reforms, and (c) end of hostilities and disposition of forces.
The issuance of this interim ceasefire declaration is further encouraged by the prospective release of all political prisoners and remaining detained consultants of the NDFP through the issuance of an Amnesty Proclamation by the GRP President. These prisoners were arrested under the Arroyo and Aquino regimes in violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees.
During the interim ceasefire period, all NPA units and people’s militia shall cease and desist from carrying out offensive military campaigns and operations against the uniformed armed personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) of the GRP.
Personnel of the AFP and PNP who have no serious liabilities other than their membership in their armed units shall not be subjected to arrest or punitive actions. They may be allowed individually to enter the territory of the people’s democratic government to make personal visits to relatives and friends.
While all units of the NPA and the people’s militias shall be on defensive mode at both the strategic and tactical levels, they shall nonetheless maintain a high degree of militancy and vigilance against any hostile actions, provocations or movements of the enemy armed forces including encroachment on the territory of the people’s democratic government, surveillance and other offensive operations that are labelled as “peace and development”, “civil-military”, “peace and order”, “anti drugs campaign,” “medical missions” or “law enforcement.”
Active-defense actions shall be undertaken only in the face of clear and imminent danger and actual armed attack by the enemy forces and only after exhausting counter-maneuvers to avoid armed encounters.
All leading organs and branches of the CPP, commands and units of the NPA and people’s militias and revolutionary mass organizations shall monitor any hostile actions, provocations or movements carried out by the enemy armed forces that undermine the spirit of the ceasefire declarations. These should be promptly reported to the concerned commands of the NPA and leadership of the CPP.
While ceasing offensive military operations, the NPA will continue to enforce policies and laws of the people’s democratic government, perform appropriate functions of governance, and mobilize the people and resources in territories under its authority, including:
1. maintaining peace and order including suppression of criminal groups such as drug traffickers and operators of the drug trade and large-scale gambling, private armies and private armed groups of warlords, local tyrants and vigilante groups, as well as spies.
2. enforcing local economic policies pertaining to land rent, usurious loans, wages and others.
3. enforcing policies for the protection of the environment and defense of the interests of national minorities, peasants and workers affected by large-scale mining, logging and plantation operations.
Furthermore, as a cultural, political and service organization, the NPA will continue to dispatch its forces to carry out educational campaigns especially on progress of peace negotiations, cultural activities, medical missions and production support campaigns.