by magnolia_eic | Dec 7, 2010 | Headlines, National News
In the spirit of the Christmas season, the government declared last Friday an 18-day
suspension of military operations (SOMO) against communist rebels, the longest ceasefire
period in the last 10 years.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, government peace panel chair Alexander Padilla said the
ceasefire will take effect Dec. 16 and ends midnight of January 3 next year.
Padilla said that on Dec. 1 and 2, the peace panel which he heads together with Atty.
Pablito Sanidad met with National Democratic Front (NDF) panel chair Luis Jalandoni, Coni
Ledesma and their lawyers in Hongkong.
It was the first round of informal meetings between the two sides under the administration
of President Benigno S. Aquino III. Without any pre-set agenda, discussions on matters of
mutual concern and interest were taken up. “The talks were open, friendly, free-wheeling and
eventually, meaningful,” Padilla said.
Padilla said the GRP panel was instructed by the President to remain focused in pursuing the
path to peace towards a just and honorable settlement of the decade-old conflict.
by anyajulia | Sep 1, 2008 | Headlines, National News
Malacanang said that military operations against rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will continue during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Although Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita explained that the ceasefire in Mindanao remains in effect, the objective of the military pursuit operations, is to account for the renegade MILF members Commanders “Umbra Kato” and “Bravo” who had torched houses in a number of villages and killed several innocent civilians including children, women and the elderly.
Reiterating the government’s crackdown on the forces of Commanders Umbra Kato and Bravo, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said that the rampage of lawless MILF elements calls for resolute military and police action.
The Chief Executive pointed out that the government has never deviated from the objectives of the peace process with the MILF, but that peace must be based on justice.
She said that the Bravo and Kato belonged to lawless groups that had been historically creating trouble before and during the government-MILF peace negotiations.
Under the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan starts on Sept. 1 and ends on Sept. 31 this year. (PIA/Bohol)
