Philippine leftist rebels declare indefinite ceasefire

A leftist rebel group announced Saturday that it is declaring an indefinite unilateral ceasefire with the government effective from midnight Sunday, extending a week-long truce it declared last week that lapsed on Saturday.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said in a statement that they declared an indefinite truce "to further promote and boost efforts to accelerate" the ongoing peace negotiations between the government and the rebels that resumed in Oslo, Norway last week.

The declaration of an indefinite was also to reciprocate the indefinite ceasefire issued by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Aug. 21, the rebels said.

They added the CPP and its armed wing, the New People's Army, "are encouraged by the positive outcome of the resumption of formal talks" held in Oslo from Aug. 22 to Aug. 26.

"The revolutionary forces in the Philippines look forward to vibrant talks in the course of the next few months to discuss social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms, and end of hostilities and disposition of forces," they said.

The Duterte administration is trying to forge peace with the communist rebels in an attempt to end Asia's longest-running insurgency.

Source : XINHUA