President Duterte meets with Nat'l Democratic Front officials in Malacañang

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 26): President Duterte meets with Nat'l Democratic Front officials in Malacañang

Officials of the National Democratic Front (NDF) went to Malacañang Palace Monday to pay a courtesy call on President Rodrigo Duterte, a month after they joined government peace negotiators in Norway.

”I have the entire communist hierarchy (who) wanted to talk to me in Davao but I was short of time. So I said (we should) rather talk here (in Malacañang),” President Duterte said in a short press conference after presiding over the induction of officers of the Malacañang Press Corps at the Palace's Heroes Hall.

The President said it was the communist leaders who requested a meeting with him.

”So this would really be the first time that the enemies of the state are here for its part of what you would call civility. Just because we are in a war doesn’t mean to say that we have to be war at all times. We can always talk and maybe, just maybe, it will bring peace to the land,” he said.

President Duterte said the communist leaders include Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) chairman Benito Tiamzon and wife, Wilma who is the group’s secretary-general.

The two were part of the CPP-NPA-NDF delegation that traveled to Oslo, Norway last Aug. 20 for the resumption of peace negotiations.

In his recent visits to military camps, the Commander-in-Chief said he told his troops that he will walk the extra mile to achieve peace in the land.

”I’ve heard that there are rumblings about… because they are enemies, they killed many military. And I told them that you know, guys, I am a president. I’m your Commander-in-Chief. I am not a war-time president,” the President said.

”My main job, my main task is really to seek peace for my land. That’s why I went to them first. Even before I assumed office, we agreed to talk,” he added.

The President said he also met with Moro rebels, particularly the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) headed by Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim, and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) led by Nur Misuari.

”I went to Murad, he said, without BBL there will be war. I told him: ‘No. Let’s talk.’," he said.
According to the President, it seems Misuari wants to include the Abu Sayyaf Group in the peace process.

”I will not speak peace with Abu Sayyaf. Every time you do that (kidnapping), it’s like slapping the nation. It’s really a despicable ideology. It’s not acceptable,” he said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=926334