Malacañang on Thursday shortened the period covered by the government’s unilateral holiday ceasefire with communist rebels as it dismissed the claim of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison that the temporary truce was a sham. ADVERTISEMENTThe 3,800-strong NPA is the armed wing of the CPP, which will mark its 49th founding anniversary on Dec. 26. NPA word awaitedRoque said the President was “hopeful” that the communist rebels would also declare a truce. “If not, then it will prove what he has been saying all along that the NPA [is] treacherous. “We leave it to the people to conclude how we should react to that statement of Joma Sison,” Roque said in response.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 21, 2017 23:26 UTC