Joma Sison told: Grab opportunity, talk with President
MANILA -- Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison should grab the chance to hold a one-on-one meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang said on Thursday.
Sison should be “elated” that the President is still acknowledging him as the leader of the communist movement, despite the fact that the CPP leader has been in self-exile in the Netherlands since 1987, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.
“Joma Sison should be elated by that development because we’ve been saying na (that) he’s no longer in control of the ground forces kasi (because) you talk about peace pagkatapos binabanatan niyo yung mga force ng gobyerno (and yet, you’re attacking the government forces),” Panelo said in an interview with ANC.
“Yet the President wants him. Ibig sabihin (Meaning), the President recognizes him as the leader of the forces. Eh dati nga hindi siya kinikilala (before, he’s not been recBACOLOD
ognized as the leader of the communist party). So he should take that opportunity. Take that opportunity,” he added.
On Monday, Duterte reiterated his desire to talk with Sison sans the presence of peace panel from both the national government and the CPP’s political wing, the National Democratic Front (NDF).
Duterte’s latest stance came even after the CPP’s armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), violated the holiday truce with the government following its series of attacks against the government troops.
The holiday ceasefire, which took effect on Dec. 23, 2019, will end at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2020.
NPA rebels reportedly attacked soldiers and policemen in Labo, Camarines Norte; Tubungan, Iloilo; and Quezon province on the first day of the implementation of the temporary ceasefire.
The communist-initiated attacks also came despite the plan to revive the peace talks.
Before the proposed resumption of peace negotiations, Sison should heed the President’s call for a one-onone meeting, Panelo said.