President Rodrigo Duterte is not declaring a unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels this coming holiday season, Malacanang official said on Tuesday.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed this to reporters in a text message.

"No," when asked if Duterte would declare a truce with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

This would be the first time the Duterte administration would not reciprocate the truce that the Maoist group has declared.

The CPP has said that it would observe ceasefire for the Christmas holidays and its 50th founding anniversary on December 26.

The unilateral truce will be effective from 12:01am on December 24 to 11:59pm on December 26 and from 12:01am on December 31 to 11:59pm on the following day, New Year's Day.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana recommended to Duterte not to be fooled by reciprocating the communist rebels' holiday truce.

He said the NPA is only using the suspension of offensive military operations to regroup and strengthen its forces.

Duterte terminated peace talks with the leftist group last year. Celerina Monte/DMS