GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Armed Forces’ Chief of Staff Gen. Alexander Yano reiterated here, Wednesday the announcement of the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels during the Yuletide season but not with rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Yano said the government forces will temporarily suspend its operations against the Communist Party of the Philippine - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) on Decembers 24, 25, and 31 and on the first day of 2009.

“This is a unilateral ceasefire which means kami ang nagdedeklara. Depende sa kanila (CPP-NPA) if they respond or not; but on the part of the government we are declaring such a ceasefire,” said Yano in an interview with ABS-CBN SOCSKSARGEN correspondent Francis Canlas.

But if the rebels will initiate an offensive during the implementation of the government’s unilateral ceasefire, troops will respond accordingly, explained Yano.

Yano also added that the ceasefire with the MILF will still be observed. However, the military’s Chief of Staff clarified that offensives against “Lawless MILF Group” led by Commanders Umbra Kato and Bravo are still up. - With a report from Francis Canlas, ABS-CBN SOCSKSARGEN