Government, rebel group forge ceasefire pact

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The government and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido Manggagawa ng Mindanao (RPM-M), a rejectionist group of the Communist Party of the Philippines, signed yesterday an agreement for a cessation of hostilities that could pave the way for a final peace pact next year.

The accord, which was signed at the Balay Mindanao convention hall here, was the result of negotiations which started in 2003, said Franklin Quijano, chairman of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

He said both panels have at least a month to draft the guidelines for the cessation of hostilities.

Undersecretary Rene Sarmiento described the pact as a "milestone in the country’s peace efforts." — Lino de la Cruz