Philippines declares X- mas cease fire

The Philippine government declared a Christmas holiday cease fire with communist rebels, but the guerrillas did not immediately say if they would reciprocate with their own cease fire as they have done in the past.

The Philippine government on Tuesday declared a Christmas holiday cease fire with communist rebels, but the guerrillas did not immediately say if they would reciprocate with their own cease fire as they have done in the past. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the military will suspend offensive military operations against the 5,000 strong New People's Army on Dec 24, Dec 25, Dec 31 and Jan 1.

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There was no immediate response from the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines, which will mark its 40th anniversary on Dec 26. Last year, the government's unilateral cease fire ran for a longer period from Dec 16 to Jan 13. Ermita did not explain why it was shorter this year. The rebels then declared their own truce for Dec 24-Dec 25 and Dec 31-Jan 1.

In an informal meeting brokered by Norway in Oslo early this month, rebel negotiators rejected an indefinite cease fire pushed by the government as a condition for resuming formal talks stalled since 2004.

The rebels suspended the talks after accusing the government of including the Communist Party and its military arm the NPA in U S and European lists of terrorist organizations.