THE Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP-CC) and the National Operational Command of the New People’s Army (NPA-NOC) late on Friday declared a seven-day unilateral cease-fire, in time for the formal peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Oslo, Norway.

In a joint statement, the CPP-CC and the NPA-NOC said the unilateral cease-fire will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on August 21 and end at 11:59 p.m. on August 27.

The formal talks between the negotiating panels of the NDF and the government are scheduled from August 22 to 26. “This cease-fire declaration is encouraged by the government’s facilitation of the release of nearly all NDF consultants who are set to participate in peace negotiations in the course of the next several months,” the CPP-NPA said in a statement.

Earlier on Friday, the government released NDF consultants Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria Tiamzon, who were leading members of the CPP and key consultants of the NDF when they were arrested in March 2014.

“The CPP anticipates the release of the rest of the NDF consultants, so that everyone can participate in the peace talks,” but cited the case of Eduardo Sarmiento, who was arrested in February 2009, slapped with murder charges and convicted in December 2013.

He is currently serving a life sentence at the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

The CPP reiterated its appreciation for the efforts of President Duterte to push forward and accelerate the government-NDF peace negotiations.

“We hope that this cease-fire declaration will be reciprocated by the government as a show of all-out determination to move forward with peace negotiations,” the CPP said.

The party clarified that the cease-fire declaration will take effect even without government reciprocation.

“With or without reciprocation by the government, the NPA must maintain a high-level of alertness against enemy troop movements,” the CPP said. “Even while ready to engage in defensive action, the NPA will exert efforts to carry out early countermaneuvers to avoid armed encounters during the specified cease-fire period.

The CPP anticipates the upcoming Oslo peace talks to discuss the recommendation for Mr. Duterte to issue a general amnesty to pave the way for the release of all political prisoners.

“To further bolster peace negotiations, the CPP and the NPA are also open to discuss the possibility of a longer cease-fire upon completion of the release of all political prisoners,” the CPP said. Speaking on behalf of the NPA, Jorge Madlos said the NPA will cease operations against the Armed Forces, the National Police, the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Units and paramililtary units “in support of the resumption of the formal peace negotiations.”

Madlos said the NPA-NOC is open to the declaration of a longer cease-fire in case the CPP and the NDF declare it in order to facilitate the release of more political prisoners and hasten the peace talks.

The release of NDF consultants has been welcomed nationwide, Madlos said, and added that he hopes the negotiations would proceed in earnest, “even as we know that it would not be easy to achieve a comprehensive agreement. We hope the two parties would be open to such an agreement for the best interest of the Filipino people.”