Gov’t suspends talks with Reds

THE government peace panel has called off the fifth round of talks with the communist group in the Netherlands scheduled on May 27 to June 1.

In a statement, Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza said the government “will not proceed to participate” in the scheduled peace dialogue.

Dureza cited that both parties are currently facing “serious” challenges that need to be addressed.

He said the government expressed concerns over the Communist Party of the Philippines’ sincerity to pursue peace talks and its armed wing the New People’s Army’s (NPA) “offensive attacks,” all throughout the country.

Dureza said such activities had prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to announce that he will no longer sign peace deal with the communists “if all of these will continue and not addressed.”

“All of these developments now put at great risk our efforts to stay the course of peace,” he said.

Dureza further stressed that the latest instruction of CPP for the NPA to intensify its offensives against the government forces amid declaration of Martial law in Mindanao “puts in great jeopardy as to whether or not we can still keep the course of peace in this peace table.”

Dureza said peace negotiations could only push through if “there are clear indications that an enabling development conducive to achieving just and sustainable peace in the land through peace negotiations across this table shall prevail.”

“As we always say and we will continue to say so: the road to peace is not a well paved road. It has humps and bumps along the way. But let’s all stay the course in this notso-easy road to peace in our land,” Dureza said.