Reds demand release of 6 political prisoners

SEOUL – The Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) has asked for the release of six political prisoners so that they could join in the continuing peace negotiations, Labor Secretary and chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III said yesterday.

The six, according to Bello, included couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, Vicente Ladlad, Alberto Silva, Larry Baylosis and Allan Jazmines.

Bello said the CPP has laid down the condition that those rebel leaders be allowed to participate in the expected resumption of the peace talks.

Bello is proceeding to the Netherlands for the possible resumption of the longstalled peace talks with the CPP.

“I am proceeding to the Netherlands for backchannel talks and hopefully, we will be able to come up even with an (interim peace agreement) which will pave the way for the final peace agreement,” Bello told The STAR.

President Duterte recently approved the resumption of peace talks and has given both parties a leeway of two months to come up with a final peace pact.

Bello said he is positive that an interim peace agreement will be forged soon between the two parties.

“The (interim peace agreement) is as good as a final peace agreement already,” Bello added.