Peace talks may resume in mid-July

MANILA - The revival of peace negotiations between the government peace panel and the communist leaders may formally begin by mid-July, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday, June 7.

Speaking before the newly-elected village captains in Cebu, the President said he was in talks with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison for the impending resumption of peace dialogue.

"I'm talking to Sison. We will start the talks, maybe mid-July," Duterte said in a speech delivered on Thursday night.

"Let's see what develops in the days to come," he added.

Formal peace talks between the government's peace negotiators and communists' National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultants are expected to resume as soon as the interim peace agreement is signed by both parties.

The interim peace

deal, which is set to be inked before the end of June, will pave the way for a formal ceasefire between the state forces and the communists' armed wing, New People's Army (NPA), within the 60day deadline for forging a final peace agreement.

In November 2017, Duterte signed Proclamation 360, formally scrapping the peace talks with the communist party following NPA rebels' persistent attacks against the government troops.

The President, however, gave the communists "another last chance" as he renewed his commitment to seek peace and order in the country.

Duterte has set a 60-day time frame for the impending peace dialogue, saying that such period of time was enough to finally put an end to the communist guerillas' decade-long rebellion.

He has also repeatedly invited Sison to return home, assuring the communist leader of protection and safety during his stay in the country while the talks are ongoing.

The Chief Executive has guaranteed that Sison can leave the country "unhampered, unfettered, (and) unbridled," should the peace talks fail anew.