Duterte open to talk with Sison ‘in neutral third country’

From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 15): Duterte open to talk with Sison ‘in neutral third country’

 President to wait for the outcome of the Rome peace talks

President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to meet Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison in a neutral third country to advance the government’s peace initiatives.

The president said he would wait for the results of the peace talks between the government and the communist rebel group in Rome before finalizing a meeting with Sison.

President Rodrigo Duterte explains that his hatred for illegal drugs is born out of his genuine love for the country and his fellow Filipinos in his speech during the the 49th Installation of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCII) at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City on January 14, 2017. (Simeon Celi Jr./Presidential Photo) | mb.com.ph

 

“Dureza and [Silvestre] Bebot Bello are there, nasa Rome sila ngayon. I don’t know why they transferred venue. Siguro magpalapit doon sa Pope para magrasyahan,” Duterte said in a forum with businessmen in Davao City, referring to presidential adviser on the peace process Jesus Dureza and labor secretary and chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III.

“But I said, sige, I will just wait for a while. And when you’re ready, it’s either I will go to somewhere in a Third World country—not really a Third World country in terms of finances but a third country where I can talk to Sison.”

Duterte assured that he would announce any substantial outcome of his meeting with Sison afterwards. “And after that, if there’s something that is really official and substantial, then we can announce to the world that we have this agreement.”

Peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines panels will resume in Rome this month. Government negotiators reportedly hope to sign a joint bilateral ceasefire pact during the third round of negotiations.

Last December, the president had a telephone conversation with Sison and pressed for a ceasefire agreement before allowing the release of more political prisoners. The Palace described the conversation between Duterte and Sison as friendly and warm.

Sison, an asylum seeker in the Netherlands, was the former teacher of Duterte at the Lyceum of the Philippines University.

In his speech before the Davao business community, the president said the communist rebels “gave us a lot of trouble” but he persuaded them to return to the negotiating table.

He disclosed that he even went to the mountains to encourage the rebels to lay off vital public installations.

“We go some tête-à-tête in the mountains and we got to agree on so many things and one of that is really how to help the people and for them not to destroy equipment of government,” he said.

“I was able to get also the word of the NDF that they would be willing to talk about peace and when Norway provided their good offices for us to talk with the [MILF], we grabbed the chance.”

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/01/15/duterte-open-to-talk-with-sison-in-neutral-third-country/