MANILA, Philippines — Progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Wednesday dared President Rodrigo Duterte to order the pull out of military troops in the rural communities to show his sincerity in declaring a unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels this Christmas season. “The declaration should translate to the demilitarization of rural communities and for displaced people to be able to return to their homes during the holidays,” Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes said in a text message. Just recently, Duterte said he has ordered the police and the military to shoot armed NPA rebels. The president also signed early this month an executive order declaring the NPA as a terrorist group. Bayan and human rights group Karapatan have earlier said that most of the human rights abuses in the countryside were perpetrated by state forces under the guise of the administration's counter-insurgency program Oplan Kapayapaan.

Source: Philippine Star December 20, 2017 10:41 UTC