Roundup: Philippine gov't, rebels agree to implement indefinite ceasefire

The Philippine government and communist rebels on Friday agreed to implement a "unilateral" ceasefire for an indefinite period after week-long peace talks in Oslo to end Asia's longest-running insurgency.

The agreement was part of a joint declaration by the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), an umbrella organization of Marxist groups including the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed group, the New People's Army.

"In the course of a few days, the parties in the Philippine peace process have reached agreement on issues that have blocked progress for many years," said Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende, whose country has facilitated the peace process over the years.

"Among the most important points that have been agreed is that both parties will implement a unilateral ceasefire for an indefinite period," Brende said. "This has never before been achieved in this peace process and is regarded as a major breakthrough."

According to a statement from the Norwegian foreign ministry, the two parties have agreed to speed up the peace process and aim to reach the first substantial agreement on economic and social reforms within six months.

They plan to follow this up with an agreement on political and constitutional reforms, before a final agreement on ending the armed conflict can be signed, it added.

The formal peace talks between the government and the leftist rebels resumed on Monday after they had been stalled since 2011.

The two negotiating panels agreed to meet again in Oslo on Oct. 8-12.

While there is no joint truce yet, NDFP peace panel chair Luis Jalandoni said the Communist Party of the Philippines will declare and issue "an indefinite ceasefire order" to the New People's Army and its militia, upon the end of their current seven-day truce order on Aug. 27.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte already declared last week an indefinite ceasefire to pave the way for the resumption of peace talks with communist rebels.

Both the government and the NDFP will work for the declaration of bilateral truce within 60 days and to establish a ceasefire monitoring committee, Jalandoni said.

As Duterte became new Philippine president this June, his administration is keen to forge peace with the rebels.

The peace talks first began in 1986. Yet over the years, no tangible results were made. Norway has facilitated the peace process since 2001. The last formal round of the negotiations took place in 2011.

The rebels began its insurgency in 1969 and reached its peak in 1987 when it boasted 26,000 armed guerillas.

However, the movement has since dwindled due to differences in strategy and tactics, as well as the arrest of many of its top leaders in the late 1980s. According to the Philippine military, the group now has around 4,000 members. Endit