PH lays down conditions for resumption of peace talks with communists
THE Philippine government laid down conditions for the resumption of peace talks with the communist insurgents, President Rodrigo Duterte’s peace adviser said on Thursday.
Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said negotiations may be revived if:
* there was no coalition government;
* the insurgents would stop collecting revolutionary tax;
* peace talks would be held in the Philippines;
* there would be a ceasefire agreement and members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), would agree to be encamped in designated areas;
* there would be localized peace talks between the insurgents and the local government units.
Dureza’s statement comes a day after President Rodrigo Duterte called for a joint command conference with security officials where he said that he was hoping Norway would continue to facilitate the peace talks once it resumes.
Last week, CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison said in a statement that it would be more productive if the communists join efforts to oust Duterte from power.
On Tuesday, Palace spokesman Harry Roque, Jr. said that there were some members of the communist group plotting to overthrow Duterte.
“My purpose is to alert all institutions now that there’s [an]all out—now that there’s no peace talks ongoing, expect the CPP-NPA to go back to its old the ways. There will be more of this noise, not just coming from CPP-NPA, but also from forces that have embedded themselves in society,” Roque said. RALPH VILLANUEVA
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