Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria 鈥淛oma鈥� Sison (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria 鈥淛oma鈥� Sison on Saturday said the communist rebels were supposed to declare a ceasefire order at 8 p.m. as the ultimatum given by President Rodrigo Duterte had lapsed.
鈥淔our hours ago mayroong announcement na ceasefire order ang Kilusang Rebolusyonaryo at 8 p.m. 鈥� Sila na ang magpapasya kung ilalabas pa ba nila o iho-hold,鈥� he said over ABS-CBN 黑料社 Channel.
Sison said the order was a public notice from the information department of the communist party鈥檚 central committee, and was recommended by the National Democratic Front (NDF).
He called Duterte a 鈥渂ully,鈥� saying that the tough-talking President could not make the rebels follow his orders.
鈥淜ailanman ay hindi pwedeng utusan ni Duterte ang rebolusyunaryong grupo na sumunod sa kanyang gusto,鈥� Sison said.
鈥淢asyadong butangero 鈥榶ang si Duterte at gusto niya ay gulo agad 鈥� kung ayaw niya ng katahimikan eh 鈥榙i huwag,鈥� he added.
Like Duterte, Sison said he was not in the position to order the insurgents to push through with the ceasefire.
He also said that the military was not enforcing their Commander in Chief鈥檚 ceasefire order, which he called 鈥渉ungkag, blangko, walang laman.鈥�
鈥淗indi pwedeng ultimatum, ultimatum. Ang pinag-uusapan dito oras lang at araw. Salita lang 鈥榶an. Ang nire-resolve natin ay tunay na putukan na tumagal na ng ilang dekada,鈥� Sison said.
鈥淥kay lang sa akin na mag-usap ang negotiating panels ng dalawang panig, para kung ano man ang miscommunication ay maayos,鈥� he said.
Despite Duterte鈥檚 lifting of his truce order, however, Sison said he was still open to the resumption of peace talks in Oslo, Norway, in August.
鈥淎s far as I鈥檓 concerned, what have been decided na pagkikita ng dalawang panel, itutuloy,鈥� Sison said.
Duterte on Saturday ordered the lifting of the truce he declared less than a week ago after his deadline passed without the reciprocation of the communist rebels.
The President issued the ultimatum after members of the New People鈥檚 Army (NPA) attacked government troops in Davao del Norte on Wednesday, killing a militiaman and wounding four others.
RELATED VIDEOS