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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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Saturday, February 4, 2017
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President Rodrigo Duterte (leftmost) administers the oath of office for newly-appointed Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Lieutenant General Eduardo Año (center) at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday.PCO
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MANILA – “We cannot have a peaceful generation.”
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday announced the lifting of the government’s unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels.
His statement came a few weeks after an armed encounter between government troops and the New People’s Army (NPA) that killed six soldiers and one rebel in Makilala, North Cotabato.
“Kagabi, I decided. I called (Army chief) general (Eduardo) Ano and said ‘ili-lift ko ‘yung ceasefire tonight. Walang nang ceasefire,” Duterte said during the ceremonial switch-on of M’lang Solar Powered Irrigation System in Cotabato.
The President said he tried to initiate peace talks by releasing detained political prisoners in August last year for the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace negotiations in Norway.
“Now there is this demand to release 400 of their political prisoners. Parang nag-grant na ako ng amnesty niyan,” he explained.
“I really tried. The demands are too huge that it is impossible to meet or even work out as a compromise.”
Meanwhile, Duterte said that peace in Mindanao between the government and rebels from Moro Islamic Liberation Front could only be realized under federalism.
“I will never talk to the terrorists. But, I am ready to concede federalism. There will be no peace in Mindanao kapag hindi ninyo binigay ang federalism,” he said.
The 71-year-old chief executive ended his speech by calling on soldiers to “clean your rifles and be ready to fight.”/PN
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