Speaker Prospero Nograles and several members of the House of Representatives are seeking the implementation of ceasefires between the government and the New People’s Army and Moro Islamic Liberation Front during the Christmas holidays.

Nograles and the congressmen, in a statement released by the House Speaker’s office, want the ceasefires implemented saying it will allow the people of observe Christmas and New Year’s Day under “an atmosphere of peace.”

“Let’s give peace a chance. We hope that all sides will agree to our proposal to ensure a halt to all offensive operations in keeping with the spirit of the Yuletide season,” said Nograles in the statement.

Nograles noted that the suspensions of peace talks between the communist rebels and the Moro group make the implementation of ceasefires more necessary and significant.

He said he hopes the armed groups would reciprocate any government decision for a unilateral ceasefire.Speaker Prospero Nograles and several members of the House of Representatives are seeking the implementation of ceasefires between the government and the New People’s Army and Moro Islamic Liberation Front during the Christmas holidays.

Nograles and the congressmen, in a statement released by the House Speaker’s office, want the ceasefires implemented saying it will allow the people of observe Christmas and New Year’s Day under “an atmosphere of peace.”

“Let’s give peace a chance. We hope that all sides will agree to our proposal to ensure a halt to all offensive operations in keeping with the spirit of the Yuletide season,” said Nograles in the statement.

Nograles noted that the suspensions of peace talks between the communist rebels and the Moro group make the implementation of ceasefires more necessary and significant.

He said he hopes the armed groups would reciprocate any government decision for a unilateral ceasefire.

“The people’s interest should be the paramount consideration in any ceasefire declaration. With all the problems facing our nation, including the looming threat of the global financial crisis, a ceasefire will provide a timely relief to our people who long for peace and unity in our nation. A ceasefire is based on humanitarian grounds and considered an act of good will which allows a peaceful observance of the holidays,'' said Nograles in the statement.

Pangasinan 1st district Rep. Arthur Celeste, House committee on national defense and security chair, backed the proposal of Nograles, said the statement.

“The Yuletide ceasefire has been a yearly tradition. Every one looks forward to it as an opportunity for the government and the armed rebels to work together to find lasting peace,” said Celeste.

Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza and Isabela 2nd district Rep. Edwin Uy, who are both members of the House defense and security committee, also supported Nograles’ truce proposals

“The Speaker as a Mindanaoan fully appreciates and understands the importance of ceasefire to our countrymen including those in the South whose lives and properties were affected by the armed hostilities. Let’s hope and pray for a lasting ceasefire with the NPA and MILF for the safety of our countrymen,” said Plaza in the statement.

Uy for his part reportedly said that a Yuletide ceasefire could be a confidence-building mechanism between government and armed rebel groups and its success can encourage them to go back to the negotiating table soon.

“The Speaker’s ceasefire proposal is a right step at the right direction in light of the suspended talks with the CPP-NPA and the MILF,” said Uy.

The government in 2007 declared a 22-day suspension of military offensives, essentially a unilateral truce, during the holidays. The NPA declared a four-day truce, December 24-25, 2007 and on December 31, 2007-January 1, 2008.

Peace talks between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing NPA and the National Democratic Front has been stalled since 2004 after the communist groups protested being included in the list of terrorists organizations of the US government and the European Union.

A ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF is still in place but peace talks were suspended after the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain. The government also dissolved its peace panel after the controversy.

Compounding the situation is the departure of the Malaysian monitors who were members of the International Monitoring Team which was assisting the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.