ShareThisMANILA — After the Christmas holiday truce with the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army, the Philippine government now will propose to the communist National Democratic Front (NDF) a truce when formal peace talks resume next month, according to Health Undersecretary Alex Padilla, who is also the head of the government peace panel.
Prior to the resumption of peace negotiations, Padilla will hold a second round of informal dialogue with NDF chair Luis Jalandoni in Oslo, Norway on Jan. 15-17, 2011. Both had initially met in Hong Kong on Dec. 1-2, 2010.
Padilla said he will propose to the NDF a ceasefire between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), during the entire duration of the talks.
He has expressed high hopes that the resumption of formal peace talks would have tangible results to end the 42 years of insurgency warfare in the country.
Padilla said a ceasefire will be conducive while the two sides are negotiating to find a genuine and lasting solution to the long-drawn conflict.