MANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday asked communist rebels to cease fighting with government troops after recent attacks put a cloud on the Left's sincerity to talk peace with the state.

"Can we just stop fighting for a while? Kasi ang sabi ng mga leader ninyo sa Europe there will be a ceasefire," Duterte said in a speech at the 50th founding anniversary of Davao del Norte.

Malacañang last week said a series of attacks by alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) has "fueled doubts" on whether the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) wanted to pursue genuine peace with the government.

• READ: Palace: NPA attacks 'fuel doubts' on Reds' sincerity in peace talks

The communist party's armed wing has been tagged in at least 5 attacks in various provinces within the span of a week.

The attacks came weeks after the government suspended talks with the Left for the second time since negotiations under the Duterte administration began last year.

Duterte said he understands the sentiments of communists but lamented the deaths of soldiers and police caused by rebel attacks.

The NPA attacks continued even as state troops had their hands full repelling Islamic State-linked terrorists in Marawi City, where the conflict has entered its second month.

"There will never be a political, social, or economic space for you communists if it is terrorism that prevails," he said.

Communist rebels have previously expressed interest in working with the government to flush out Maute extremists.

Duterte cited as examples the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), saying they held a "sense of nationalism," unlike terrorists who have no ideologies.

"I want to talk to you (Moro groups) because I know ang inyo was just a rising nationalism," he said.

More than 200,000 residents have fled Marawi City due to the ongoing conflict between government troops and Maute terrorists, along with their other local and foreign cohorts.

As of 6 p.m. Thursday, the government placed the death toll in the Marawi crisis at 429, among them 303 terror suspects, 82 government troops, and 44 civilians.

MILF Chairman Murad Ebrahim had previously offered to broker talks with Maute terrorists still holed up in Marawi City.

Murad said the MILF was willing to open communication lines with brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute, who used to be part of his group before they were radicalized abroad.

"Maybe if the President will permit us to talk to them, then we are ready," Murad told ABS-CBN last Wednesday.

"We have declared in principle to the President that we would help him in any way so this situation in Marawi could be resolved as soon as possible," Murad added.

But Duterte rejected the negotiation call, saying he will "never compromise" with terrorists.