SINABI ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque na tatalakayin ng National Task Force on Ending Local Armed Conflict kay Pangulong Duterte ang panawagang palawigin ang unilateral ceasefire sa New People’s Army (NPA).
“The call for peace is everyone’s desire and it has become more urgent in the present state of calamity and public health emergency,” sabi ni Roque.
Nagtapos noong Abril 16 ang ceasefire bagamat pinalawig ito ng NPA hanggang Abril 30.
“We find it, however, unfortunate that the members of the NPA themselves violated their own declaration of truce in the form of violent armed encounters with government troops. They even forcibly seized relief goods last April 7 intended for Barangay Guinmayohan residents in Balangiga, Eastern Samar, affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),” dagdag ni Roque.
Nauna nang sinabi ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na tuloy ang opensiba ng militar hanggang walang desisyon ang Pangulo kung magpapatuloy ang tigil-putukan.