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As ceasefire starts, Negros bishops call for sincerity in peace efforts


After an attack by suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels that left at least 10 soldiers and a nine-year-old boy dead on Tuesday, Catholic bishops in Western Visayas urged both the government and the communist rebels to show sincerity in their peace efforts. The bishops made the call as government troops and the NPA began a Christmas ceasefire on Thursday. The ceasefire will last from December 16 to January 3 and is seen as a "confidence-building measure" for the resumption of formal peace talks in February 2011. The bishops said the country cannot afford to have a "constantly precarious" situation due to the conflict. “We cannot move forward if we live in a constantly precarious situation caused by war," Bacolod (Negros Occidental) Bishop Vicente Navarra said in an article posted Thursday on news site Visayan Daily Star. Negros is one of the areas in the country where the NPA is considered active. Kabankalan Bishop Patricio Buzon said the ceasefire will be good for everyone because the message of Christmas is peace. Buzon reminded both parties that the basic condition for peace starts from the heart, in the people's sincerity in pursuing peace. San Carlos Bishop Jose Advincula said he hopes the ceasefire during the commemoration of the birth of the Prince of Peace will lead to lasting peace in the country. Pre-ceasefire attack On Thursday, government negotiators voiced dismay over Tuesday's attack in Northern Samar where 10 soldiers and a nine-year-old boy were killed. "Despite this treacherous attack in the eve of the observance of the ceasefires declared by both sides, we believe that the course to genuine peace is the appropriate answer to the current conflict, one which has been ongoing for the past 41 years resulting in the deaths of thousands and the misery of thousands more of our countryfolks," an article posted on the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process website said. "It is with steadfast determination that we all the more enjoin and call on both sides to be vigilant and resolute in the observance of the ceasefire and prevent the occurrence of any other incident of violence in the duration of this period," it added. On the other hand, the government panel called on the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-NPA to be "steadfast and committed to the just cause of peace." "We call on the CPP/NPA/NDF to be steadfast and committed to the just cause of peace. Let us not be swayed by warmongers and harbingers of death and destruction who cannot see beyond their own limited and selfish visions without taking into consideration the welfare and benefit of the entire Filipino nation," it said. "We call on our people to continually support the cause of peace. It is one cause we cannot hope to fail for the very sake of our own and our future generations," it added. Govt forces on defensive mode Meanwhile, government forces in Negros Occidental have been placed on “defensive mode" since Wednesday, a day after the attack in Northern Samar. Col. Jonas Sumagaysay, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said they will continue to secure their outposts and vital installations. Sumagaysay said he hopes the NPA will honor the ceasefire, after killing several soldiers in Samar, before the holiday truce could start. Some 20 suspected rebels raided and looted a mountain resort in Tapaz in Capiz. Maj. Gen. Vicente Porto, commanding general of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, reiterated his reminders to government troops to be vigilant. He said said they have received reports that large formation of rebels are allegedly planning to mount tactical offensives and liquidation activities. “Let’s not let the SOMO (suspension of military operations) give us a false sense of security, and lure us into complacency," Porto said in a message relayed to all Army units in Western Visayas. “We continue to hope that SOMO will pave the way for peace talks and, eventually, national reconciliation, in spite of the NPA, that is the biggest roadblock to achieving lasting peace," Porto added. – VVP, GMANews.TV

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