Poe: Revive Talks With Communists

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 24): Poe: Revive Talks With Communists

An administration senatorial bet has urged the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) to return to the peace negotiating table with the government to help ensure the peaceful conduct of elections in May.

Team PNoy senatorial bet Grace Poe aired the call as the New People’s Army (NPA), the paramilitary group of the local communist organization, continued to sow terror in the countryside.

The communists are being blamed for the death of over a dozen soldiers and civilians in ambushes staged by NPA guerrillas.

Poe said the resumption of peace talks could spell an orderly and peaceful election in the country but the two parties appeared adamant at returning to the negotiating table.

Government chief negotiator Alexander Padilla admitted that the talks have bogged down as he expressed exasperation over the seeming lack of sincerity of the CPP-NPA to discuss peace at this time.

“I don’t think we should waste our time (negotiating with the CPP-NDF). They always find ways and means to look for an issue,” Padilla said last week.

A proposed meeting between President Benigno Aquino III and CPP founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison was also not expected to take place anytime soon.

NDF chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni chided government for alleged “duplicity”.

Poe said continued hostilities between the military and the CPP-NDF-NPA have threatened hopes for an orderly election.

She said that rather than focusing on maintaining peace and order until election day, police and military forces have to channel men and logistics to guarding “soft targets” as a long-term ceasefire remains elusive.

“A truce can be agreed upon by both sides once both sides decide to come forward to resume discussions. A more permanent cessation of hostilities can be counted upon once the peace talks gets underway once more,” Poe stated.

“As of now, either side can declare a unilateral ceasefire which is tenuous at best as there is no guarantee that the other party will steer away from an armed clash,” she explained.

Attacks allegedly staged by NPA terrorists have scared away candidates from conducting campaigns in the countryside.

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