Duterte still open to talks with Reds
MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte is not closing his doors on the possible revival of peace negotiations with the communist group, despite its founding leader Jose Maria Sison's suggestion for the communist rebels to withdraw from the dialogue.
"The door for peace talks remains open," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said in a statement after a joint command conference with the high-ranking officials of the military and the police held at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, July 4.
Sison earlier announced that the communist movement was no longer bent on holding talks with the government, after Duterte had postponed the resumption of peace dialogue initially scheduled on June 28.
Duterte directed the government peace panel to re-schedule the revival of talks to a later date, as he opted to personally review the existing peace deals and consult the public.
The President's order prompted Sison to say that the communist guerillaes would instead join opposition in its desire to oust Duterte.
Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza said the peace talks could only resume, if Duterte's conditions are met.
"This 'way forward' in the stalled peace talks was decided following the consolidation of various positions expressed during the command conference convened by President Rodrigo Duterte last night in Malacañang," Dureza said in a separate statement.
"This [resumption of talks] is subject to the fol-
lowing wishes of the President. [First], there will be no coalition government. [Second], there will be a stop in the collection of the so-called revolutionary tax, [Third], the venue of the talks will be local. [Fourth], there will be a ceasefire agreement in which armed NPA members are encamped in designated areas."
Dureza said Duterte had also expressed hope that Norway would continue to be a thirdparty facilitator, if the peace talks resume.
In the meantime, Roque said localized peace arrangements between local government units (LGUs) and the communist surgents may still proceed.
"Localized peace talks may be pursued by local LGUs provided they do not concede any aspect of governance [and the arrangement is] pursuant to guidelines to be agreed upon by the Cabinet cluster on security," he said.