Communist rebels acknowledged presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte’s offer of four Cabinet positions but said he “knows fully well that what is more important to the revolutionary forces are the necessary changes in the policies and programs that govern these departments and the entire government."
Meanwhile, an interview with radio station dzMM, Luis Jalandoni, chief negotiator of the National Democratic Front, said Wednesday they would enter into peace talks with Duterte and ask him to add four of their political allies to his cabinet.
The Communist Party of the Philippines said in a statement that it viewed the offer of the agrarian reform, environment, social welfare and labor portfolios “an acknowledgement of the strength and political standing of the CPP and revolutionary forces, its effective representation of the interests of workers, peasants, minorities and the broad masses as well as its work in protecting the environment."
The Netherlands-based Jalandoni said the rebels were expected to shortly exchange delegation visits with the Duterte camp "as part of the process for preparing the resumption of peace talks" as well as to iron out terms of cooperation.
Both Jalandoni and CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison said no guerrillas would actually serve in Duterte's cabinet prior to reaching a political settlement, when the insurgents hoped to lay down arms and join a coalition government.
"We have relayed to president-elect Duterte that (guerrilla) personnel themselves would not be taking up government posts, but we will recommend a list of qualified, competent and dedicated persons that could fill the posts," Jalandoni said.
At the same time, the leading organ of revolutionary forces that have been waging an armed struggle to establish a socialist state for almost half a century, waxed optimistic about the prospects of negotiating peace with the incoming administration.
The CPP said it “looks forward to forging an alliance for national unity, peace and development with the Duterte government based on clearly stipulated principles and policies of national sovereignty and social justice.”
Jalandoni also told dzMM the rebels would consider a ceasefire and would ask the Duterte government to release 543 political prisoners.
And beyond this, it welcomed “the possibility of joining presumptive president Duterte in an alliance government, whether in the form of assigning cabinet positions to the CPP or its endorsees or some other more radical form of unity government which the maverick new president might be open to consider."
For all these to be possible, however, the CPP stressed that “a U-turn in the neoliberal policies of the past three decades, to say the least, must be carried out."
"These include, among others, the need for genuine land reform, industrialization and economic development, jobs, ending US troop presence and many others," it said.
At any rate, the CPP said Duterte should follow up his offer “with a more thorough discussion of policies through peace negotiations with the (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) which is an excellent opportunity to discuss the socio-economic issues confronting the people."
It also urged him to “engage in discussions with workers, peasants and other mass-based organizations to enable him to listen to their grievances and see the urgent need to address their situation with substantial changes in policy."
Earlier, the CPP’s central committee, while welcoming the possible resumption of peace talks and an alliance with the incoming government, said its forces “must relentlessly criticize and oppose any and all anti-people and pro-imperialist policy and measure.”
“There will be no honeymoon with the Duterte regime,” it declared.
At the same time, it said the New People’s Army “must continue to carry out the tasks set forth by the CPP central committee to intensify the people’s war by launching more frequent tactical offensives and seizing more arms from the enemy.”
http://interaksyon.com/article/127926/thanks-but--reds-say-change-in-govt-policies-programs-more-important-than-posts
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