Bilateral NPA-AFP ceasefire urged by Episcopal Church

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE -  Bilateral ceasefire  between the New Peoples Army (NPA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines  (AFP) was overwhelmingly called  by the the Church of  the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines (EDNP) in their February convention.

                This as President  Rodrigo Duterte called for a memorandum of understanding on what shall be done when ceasefire fails  as  peace talks resumed  between the  Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democractic Front of the Philippines  (CPP-NPA) and the  Government of the Republic of the Philippines.

                The diocesan assembly also called on peace talks to focus on the substantial agenda  of social, economic,  and political  reforms  that address the roots causes of  armed conflict.

                Last week, Duterte again ordered  the continuation of  peace talks after he terminated the  peace negotiations following a bloody fights between the NPA and the  AFP in Mindanao and northern Luzon that violated  an earlier ceasefire between the two warring  forces.

                The peace talks last year arrived at some substantial gains including  agreement to form a bilateral working term on the reciprocal working group  to accelerate drafting of the comprehensive  agreement on  socio economic reforms (CASER) and signing of the  supplementary agreement  for the operationalization of the joint monitoring  committee for the implementation of the   comprehensive   agreement on the  respect for human rights  and international humanitarian law (CARHRIHL).

                 The church convention in  their 46th assembly  forwarded that it is imperative for the EDNP having witnessed  the  ill effects of  armed conflict  to members  and congregations want the realization of  shalom beharim  (peace upon the mountains)