According to NTF-ELCAC Executive Director USec Ernesto C. Torres Jr. the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) declaration of a unilateral ceasefire is hollow and unverifiable. It was not coordinated with the government and lacks any accountability mechanism. Worse, the CPP itself orders NPA units to remain in “active defense mode” and on “high alert.” This is not peace, it is a tactical deception that endangers communities and local officials.
Public safety is not seasonal. The AFP and PNP will continue their constitutional duty to protect Filipinos. Our security forces stand vigilant while families gather and travel, not out of hostility, but out of duty.
Context is critical: the NPA’s strength is a fraction of its 1980s peak. This decline resulted from sustained whole-of-nation efforts, improved governance, and the courage of former rebels who chose peace. Filipinos have rejected armed struggle in favor of stability and progress.
Torres said real peace momentum lies in the thousands of former rebels reintegrating lawfully, not in symbolic ceasefires timed for propaganda. We caution against weaponizing “peace” to obscure decades of violence. Credibility requires verifiable action, not empty words.
To remaining NPA members: The country has moved forward. Lay down your arms. Amnesty and reintegration programs offer dignified pathways home. Reconciliation requires sincerity, not seasonal pauses in violence.
The NTF-ELCAC remains committed to lasting peace built on justice, accountability, and genuine hope, not staged gestures.
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