Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año (PNA file photo)
LEGAZPI CITY -- Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte would be willing to talk peace with top communist leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison, this, however, would depend on the back door channeling talks being pursued by the Communist Party of the Philippine.
Año, reacting to Sison's statement that there are back door channeling being initiated by the communist movement to open the stalled peace talks between the government and the communist rebels, however, said it would not guarantee any commitment from the government.
Año said he would prefer the localize negotiations as an effective means to attain the long-sought peace talks.
He said President Duterte's offer to Sison to return to the country and hold a “one-on-one” talk remains open.
The “one-on-one “ talk challenge between the President and Sison was discussed during the March 2 Cabinet meeting at the Palace, where Duterte said Sison would be allowed to return to the Philippines without fear of being arrested once he accepts the challenge.
Año quoting the President statement said: “Joma can come home, we will hold a man-to-man talk alone where he can lay down all things that he wanted and will talk what is good for the country.”
Año arrived here to give the keynote address for the Bicol Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) chaired by Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara.
At the press conference, Año said the peace talks started in 1986 during the term of then-President Corazon Aquino until the time of President Duterte.
“You can just imagine that peace talks have been through for five administrations but the pursuit for peace was elusive and it always failed because of so many concessions being demanded by the movement,” Año said.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1095756
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