Peace negotiations are nonsense, says Parlade

Despite gains earned from previous negotiations with rebel groups, South Luzon Command Chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. on Tuesday branded as nonsense calls to resume peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

“To say that peace talks should be revived, those are nonsense,” Parlade told lawmakers during the Senate Defense Committee hearing on red-tagging.

The military official claimed that unlike other groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front, and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army, it’s unlikely for the CPP to disband its armed group — the New People’s Army (NPA).

Parlade’s statement, however, earned a rebuke from Senator Francis Pangilinan.

He said it is “unparliamentary” for Parlade to express this right after he pointed out the benefits of continuing peace talks with the communist rebels. Parlade claimed peace talks with the Maoist group could boost the economy.

“I think that is unparliamentary, Mr. Chairman. It is to say therefore that this representation’s earlier manifestation is nonsense, I beg to disagree,” Pangilinan said.