Gov’t killed peace talks: NDFP

From Malaya Business Insight (Jul 5): Gov’t killed peace talks: NDFP

NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili blamed Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and two other Cabinet officials for the apparent collapse of the peace negotiations.

In a statement, Agcaoili described Lorenzana, Interior Department officer in charge Eduardo Año and presidential spokesman Harry Roque, Jr. as “peace spoilers.”

On Monday, Lorenzana said he is going to recommend to President Duterte the termination of talks for several reasons, including the communists’ intention to put up a coalition government, insincerity to achieve peace, and plot to oust the President.

Days earlier, Lorenzana called communist party founding chairman and National Democratic Front of the Philippines chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison a “quintessential spoiled brat.”

Meanwhile, Año has said Sison “needs professional help” and “is already out of touch from reality.” Sison has been on self-exile in the Netherlands since 1980s.

On the other hand, Roque called Sison “arrogant” for supposedly thinking that he is the country’s “savior.” Roque also said the communists are conniving with Church leaders to oust the President.

“At any rate, it looks like the orchestrated lies and attacks of Lorenzana, Año and Roque against Prof. Sison have sounded the death knell on the peace talks under the Duterte regime. The peace spoilers seem to have won the day,”said Agcaoili.

Agcaoili said it is the government that terminated the peace talks. Sison said last week the NDFP will no longer talk peace with the Duterte administration, saying it’s easier for the NDFP to participate in efforts to oust Duterte.

“Lorenzana, Año and Roque must have been asleep when GRP President Duterte issued Proclamation 360 terminating the peace negotiations,” said Agcaoili. The proclamation was issued in November last year.

Agcaoili said Proclamation 360 was never rescinded and remains in place.

Also, Agcaoili cited Proclamation 374, issued by Duterte in December last year, that designated the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army as a terrorist organization.

“In fact, Duterte postponed the mutually agreed upon date by the Parties for the resumption of the formal talks on June 28-30, 2018, in Oslo, Norway, which would have removed the impediments put up by the GRP to advance the peace negotiations forward,” he added.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/gov%E2%80%99t-killed-peace-talks-ndfp