While he was resolved on not declaring a ceasefire with communist rebels this holiday season, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday that he would abide by President Rodrigo Duterte’s sudden declaration suspending military operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) from December 4 to January 2, 2018. Well, we have to follow the directive of the President,” Lorenzana told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo. ADVERTISEMENTDuterte scrapped the peace talks last November, and subsequently, officially declared the communist rebels as terrorists. I did not recommend for the cessation of military operation against the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army. But if the President declared so then we are going to implement and abide by the directive of the President,” Lorenzana said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 20, 2017 05:13 UTC