OPAPP preparing for talks between Duterte, NDFP officials

DAVAO CITY – Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Jesus Dureza confirmed that they are now preparing for the meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and the two officials of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) who expressed intentions of meeting with him in the country. He also said the meeting might happen before the end of November.

“There are preparations that are being made but I am not liberty to disclose,” he said.

Dureza also pointed that NDFP Senior Adviser Luis Jalandoni and NDFP Peace Panel Chair Fidel Agcaoili have no outstanding warrants of arrest, and will, thus, not be arrested by authorities.

“I have checked, Luis Jalandoni has no outstanding warrant, neither does Fidel Agcaoili. So they will not be arrested, unless they violate the law when they come here,” Dureza told reporters at the sidelines of a media forum here Friday.

Dureza said the officials of the NDFP will not be harmed once the President agrees to meet with them.

“Kung pupunta man sila at pumayag ang Presidente (If they do come, and the President agrees to meet with them), I’m sure they will not be harmed or touched at all. And I’m sure sina Luis at si Fidel will not come also pag tingin nila na delikado (if they think if it would be dangerous for them),” Dureza added.

At least three members of the NDFP negotiating panel have been re-arrested by authorities after Duterte called off the peace talks earlier this year.

NDFP consultants Vic Ladlad, Rafael Baylosis and Adelberto Silva, who were previously under government detention until they were set free to participate in the peace negotiations two years ago, have been rearrested in separate incidents.