Palace open to resumption of peace talks with Reds

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 20, 2019): Palace open to resumption of peace talks with Reds

Malacañang on Wednesday expressed its openness to resume peace talks with communist rebels.

"They're welcome to come if they want to talk. Hindi sila aarestuhin (They won't be arrested)," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Panelo said the government is willing to resume peace talks if the communist rebels will stop their extortion activities and attacks on police forces.

"Pwede naman silang magset ng condition sa parte nila, kung reasonable at pwede nating ibigay (They can set conditions if these are reasonable and government can give it)," he added.

Panelo took a swipe at Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison after the latter said their organization needs funds to finance their struggle against the government.

"Kailangan nila ng resources, finances, kailangan ng extortion activities kasi yun ang nagpi-finance sa kanilang pakikipaglaban sa gobyerno, hindi dahil meron silang pamahalaan (They need resources, finances, extortion activities because these finance their fight against the government, not because they have a government of their own)," he said.

Panelo said the concern of the communist group on being arrested is "misplaced."

"Kaya nga tayo mag-uusap, bakit naman kayo aarestuhin? (The reason why you will come is for us to talk, why would you be arrested then?)," he said.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday said the government is "on a waiting period about the appropriate time to talk about peace".

The CPP-NPA, in previous reports, has been allegedly tagged in cases of extortion, mass murder, and violation of indigenous people's rights.

The US State Department and the European Union have both tagged the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062438