The call for peace is everyone’s desire and it has become more urgent in the present state of calamity and public health emergency.

We find it, however, unfortunate that the members of the New People’s Army (NPA) themselves violated their own declaration of truce in the form of violent armed encounters with government troops. They even forcibly seized relief goods last April 7 intended for Barangay Guinmayohan residents in Balangiga, Eastern Samar, affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

On whether government would extend the unilateral ceasefire, this matter is something the National Task Force on Ending Local Armed Conflict can discuss with the President.