Philippine President Rodrigo Dutert Calls Off Truce After Rebel Attack

The Philippine president has withdrawn a cease-fire order after communist guerrillas killed a government militiaman and failed to declare their own truce by today, deadline he had given.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered all government forces to go on high alert and "continue to discharge their normal functions and mandate to neutralize all threats to national security, protect the citizenry, enforce the laws and maintain peace in the land."

Duterte declared the government cease-fire on Monday in the latest sign of his strong relations with the Maoist rebels. Two days later, however, rebels killed a government militiaman and wounded four others in southern Davao del Norte province, angering Duterte, who gave the rebels until 5 pm today to declare their own cease-fire.