By NITZ ARANCON,
JIGGER JERUSALEM
Correspondents
and FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent

THE 4th Infantry Division warned local officials against hosting any New People’s Army (NPA) gatherings in their political territories in time for the Communist Party’s 51st anniversary today, saying those who do would be “marked.”

Maj. Gen. Franco Nemesio Gacal, 4th ID commander, said, “Huwag silang magtangkang mag-host ng any gathering ng NPA sa kanilang barangay o sitio at mamarkahan talaga natin ’yan.”

It was the first time that a ranking military official, wittingly or unwittingly, hinted that the Armed Forces is into “marking” or tagging of civilians on mere suspicion of being communist rebel allies or supporters.

He said this a day after President Duterte declared a unilateral and reciprocal ceasefire with the communist rebels ahead of the Christmas and New Year’s Day celebrations.

The ceasefire took effect nationwide 12 am Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, and would end 11:59 pm Jan. 7, 2020.

But despite Duterte’s declaration, Gacal said the military would still have to maintain peace and order, and secure communities. This means, he said, that soldiers would continue security operations aimed at thwarting any attempts by rebel forces to sow fear.

“Ang na-suspend lamang ay yung offensive operations against sa mga NPA doon sa kanilang mga hideout,” he said.

Gacal said the military would help the police with their law enforcement operations, and soldiers would respond to citizens’ complaints against NPA rebels.

“Kapag nagsumbong ang mga tao sa amin na silay natatakot sa presence sa mga NPA sa kanilang mga sitio,  pupuntahan yan ng military at police,” he said. “’Pag lumaban sila sa military at police ay talagang bakbayan yan.”

Gacal also warned rebels against using Duterte’s ceasefire declaration as a “license to sow fear.”

On Sunday, Duterte directed the Armed Forces and the National Police to observe the ceasefire nationwide.

At the same time, Duterte also ordered the re-constitution of the government peace panel to show its sincerity to a possible resumption of peace talks with the communist rebels.

Earlier, the Communist Party’s Central Committee declared a ceasefire and called all its guerrilla units nationwide to suspend military operations.

The Party, however, urged its forces to maintain a high degree of vigilance against any hostile actions or movements contrary to the ceasefire order.

“Active-defense operations shall be undertaken only in the face of clear and imminent danger and actual armed attack by hostile forces,” reads part of the CPP ceasefire order.

Civic and religious leaders welcomed the ceasefire declared by the government and the National Democratic Front.

“It’s a very positive step towards peace,” Balay Mindanao chairman Charlito Manlupig said.

Manlupig said a ceasefire if honored by both parties can be a major step of a possible resumption of peace talks.

Bishop Felixberto Calang of Iglesia Filipina Independente(IFI) hopes that both sides would strictly observe the holiday ceasefire.

Balay Mindanaw and IFI are in the forefront of Mindanao organizations calling for both sides to go back to the negotiating tables and end the half-a-decade-old conflict.

Calang said ceasefire by both the government and the communist rebels should be a cause for celebration. “We greet with much jubilation the unilateral reciprocal ceasefire declarations and the impending resumption of formal peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and Communist Party of the Philippines,” said Bishop Calang, convenor of the Sowing the Seeds of Peace in Mindanao.

Calang said the reciprocal truce “gives the Filipino people reason to celebrate with greater hope and joy” during the holidays “in keeping with our Christian traditions and our people’s decades-long quest for peace based on social justice.”

He added: “As Christians, we see the impending resumption of the peace talks as a time to deepen our faith in Jesus as the Prince of Peace. The liberation of God’s people from oppression and injustice was at the core of Jesus’ ministry for peace.”

Calang’s group has laid out three points addressed to the government and the CPP, which is likened to the three gifts brought by the Three Wise Men and offered them Jesus Christ upon his nativity in Bethlehem, according to the story from Bible.

He said, “Give the talks its ‘second wind’ by not allowing warmongers to shoot it before it takes off from the ground anew. This rumor-mongering about the assassination of President Duterte at a time both parties are coming to terms with each other only serve to ‘spoil the peace.’”

Calang also challenged Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the new member of the government panel, “to stand for the civilian voice and authority in the negotiations, being the alter ego of the President.”

The third point the group directed at both parties is to “take off from where the talks have started and honor previous agreements. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel. The peace talks were going well in hammering out agreements on Social and Economic Reforms, until it was thrown into limbo by Proclamation 360.”

“This means,” Calang said, “revisiting the issues of release of political prisoners and implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.”

“An enduring peace that is based on social justice is what we anticipate for every Christmas. It is today’s gold, frankiencense, and myrhh. It is the truly tangible and lasting wish that we make on our noche Buena table. Let us include in our prayers that the peace talks usher in a truly peace-filled New Year,” he said.

Duterte ended the peace talks with the communist rebels in 2017 and ordered the military to crush the rebels before his term ends on 2022.