Red leaders ‘insisting’ on revived peace talks, says Duterte

Communist leaders want to return to the negotiating table, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday.

According to the Chief Executive, the rebels were insisting on resuming the peace talks with the Philippine government.

“I don’t know but they are insisting on resuming the talks and ‘yung iba, I will not mention the name, they want to come home to talk. Sabi ko okay lang,” Duterte said in a speech before newly promoted generals of the Philippine National Police.

Duterte afterwards said National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) chief peace negotiator Fidel Agcaoili and NDFP senior adviser to the negotiating panel Luis Jalandoni wanted to return to the Philippines.

Agcaoili, Jalandoni and NDFP negotiating panel member Coni Ledesma earlier called off plans to visit Manila in November last year to attend various engagements, including informal talks with the government, due to security concerns.

Jalandoni cited the statement of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año that the NDFP officials would be arrested upon their arrival in the country because there were allegedly arrest warrants against them.

In March, Duterte said the rebels may negotiate with the next President after he announced the termination of the talks and dissolved the government negotiating panel led by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Malacañang had said that while the peace negotiations may still be revived by a new administration, the communist rebels must first demonstrate genuine sincerity in the peace process by laying down their arms and shun acts of violence.

Duterte issued in December last year Executive Order 70 which provides for a whole-of-nation approach to addressing the root causes of insurgencies, disturbances and tensions such as poverty, historical injustice, social inequality and lack of inclusivity.

It also ordered the creation of a national task force to address the decades-old communist insurgency.

GMA News Online is still trying to get a comment from leaders of the NDFP. —NB, GMA News