Philippine leader calls Christmas ceasefire with communists
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo
MANILA (AFP) - Philippine President Gloria Arroyo on Saturday declared a unilateral ceasefire with communist insurgents on December 24 and 25 and December 31 and January 1 as part of Christmas gestures.
"I hereby declare a suspension of offensive military operations against the NPA (New People's Army) on Christmas eve and Christmas day and New Year's eve and New Year's day," Arroyo said on the 67th anniversary of the founding of the armed forces.
Her declaration came despite threats by the communist insurgent NPA that it would not follow the traditional Christmas season ceasefire with the government.
In the past, both the government and the communists called separate unilateral ceasefires covering the Christmas season in this largely Roman Catholic nation.
The ceasefires, which began in 1986, have traditionally lasted for at least two weeks but this year, both sides expressed reluctance to observe a long truce as attacks by the rebels on civilian targets have increased.
The 9,000-strong NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging a 33-year Maoist insurgency against Manila.