DAVAO CITY — The clash between the New People’s Army and the military during the weekend in Makilala, North Cotabato has pushed the Philippine government to convince the National Democratic Front (NDF) to implement a bilateral cease-fire agreement.

In a statement released Monday, President Assistant on the Peace Process Jesus G. Dureza said it is important to implement a bilateral cease-fire as there will be a mechanism that will find ways to resolve these issues.

“In a bilateral cease-fire, independent monitors conduct their own independent investigations, submit reports with possible sanctions imposed, if warranted,” said Mr. Dureza, using as an example a similar mechanism being employed in the peace negotiations between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the government.

In the incident, he added, both the rebels and the soldiers “have their own reports and accusations favorable to their own version and interest or propaganda line.”

The NDF and the government have resumed peace talks since January 19 in Rome, Italy with the bilateral cease-fire agreement as among the issues to be tackled.

In its press statement, the rebels claimed that one of their members and eight soldiers were killed. The military on the other hand had no casualties, according to a press statement by the 10th Infantry Division.

The rebels, in the statement signed by Southern Mindanao spokesperson Rigoberto F. Sanchez, claimed that since the government implementation of the unilateral cease-fire in August, soldiers of the 39th Infantry Battalion, in the pretext of its peace and development outreach program, have “continued to mobilize…troops and paramilitaries in various forms.”

They added that the soldiers even killed civilians in Arakan Valley on Nov. 22, prompting an evacuation.

The military, on the other hand, claimed the encounter was the result of a campaign to run after those who have been extorting local businesses in the area.

“Several extortion letters signed by a certain Ricardo Fermiza, spokesman of Guerilla 51, Davao del Sur-North Cotabato Operation Command of the NPA, Southern Mindanao Region were also recovered (from the encounter site),” said a press statement from the command.

On the allegation that the military lost eight of its soldiers in the encounter, the statement said it is inviting the public to scrutinize the records of the Makilala MPS (Municipal Police Station), interview the people around the encounter site and check on all hospitals and funeral parlors in Regions 11 and 12 to determine who is telling the truth.”

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