Rebel Guns in Village Violated Truce, Philippine Military Says

The military accused Communist rebels Friday of violating a three-day-old truce.

The national cease-fire monitoring committee met two hours Friday but failed to resolve gray areas in implementing the truce, including whether the rebels violated the accord by bringing armed men to a village rally Thursday.

Defense Minister Rafael Ileto and the military chief of staff, Fidel V. Ramos, described the display of force by about 50 members of the New People’s Army in the San Juan district Samal, 25 miles west of Manila, as a provocation and a violation of an understanding that guerrillas carrying weapons would would stay away from “population centers.”

“That particular incident is a very clear violation of the agreement,” Ileto remarked after a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce. “We hope that the public is becoming aware of these things because we in the military will not be the first to violate (the cease-fire).”

In his speech, Ileto said the military did not believe the rebels would be able to exploit the truce to improve their position militarily in the 17-year-long insurgency.

“What we are worried about is not the loss of the military initiative but the loss of political tempo and the democratic resolve of our leaders and our people,” he said, noting that the government was not counteracting a rebel propaganda splurge since the truce was signed on Nov. 27. It went into effect Wednesday.

A lawyer for the other side, Romeo Capulong, said no violation occurred Thursday because no definition had been agreed on on what constitutes a population center. He represents the Communist-led National Democratic Front political alliance, which negotiated the cease-fire with the government.

No statement was forthcoming from President Corazon Aquino on whether she considered the incident a violation. Her spokesman, Teodoro Benigno, told reporters she was leaving it up to the cease-fire committee.

The committee, composed of representatives from both sides, adjourned after inconclusive talks Friday.

In a talk with reporters during a visit to troops participating in a joint Philippine-American military exercise north of Manila, Ramos said it was precisely because some differences had not been ioroned out that there was a need to avoid any “confrontational situation.”

He said the military was “playing it cool” regarding the Thursday incident, but added, “I don’t think that kind of situation should be allowed to continue.”