MALACAÑANG welcomed Thursday the signing of an interim joint ceasefire agreement between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) during the fourth round of talks in the Netherlands.
“We hope this prevents further hostilities and unnecessary loss of lives on the ground,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
“The peace process, while seemingly slow, highlights the maturing social and political sense of the Filipino. Together let us build communities that are just and peaceful. This is what being an independent sovereign nation is all about,” he added.
A bilateral ceasefire agreement is among the conditions President Rodrigo Duterte had laid out to ensure the success of the peace pact.
The agreement on an interim joint ceasefire mandated both parties to direct their respective ceasefire committees to meet and discuss the guidelines and ground rules for the implementation of the truce.
Guidelines set were “rules governing the presence of armed units and elements of both parties in local communities and the creation of buffer zones; an agreement on prohibited, hostile, and provocative acts; and the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanisms in relation to the implementation of the ceasefire and the handling of complaints and alleged violations.”
Abella said the deal to end hostilities will take effect immediately, as soon as the guidelines and ground rules are approved.
He said the interim ceasefire agreement should remain in effect, until a permanent ceasefire is forged between the two panels.
The government peace panel and the NDF consultants will resume their negotiations in June. (VoxPop Philippines)
