Joma claims Duterte admin ‘not really interested’ with peace talks

From GMA News Online (Dec 10, 2019): Joma claims Duterte admin ‘not really interested’ with peace talks (By Anna Felicia Bajo)

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison on Tuesday expressed belief that the Duterte administration is not really interested with resuming peace talks with the communists.

In a statement, Sison said the government’s precondition that the peace talks should be done in the Philippines and the supposed rejection of the proposal of goodwill measures of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) are signs that the government was just finding further pretext to continue its attacks against the communists.
“It is highly probable that Duterte's offer of peace negotiations, preconditioned by resuming them in the Philippines, is a prelude to the escalation of attacks against the people and the revolutionary forces,” Sison claimed.

“The NPA (New People’s Army) can see through the ruse and will not lay itself open to attacks by declaring a ceasefire that is not reciprocated by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police).”

According to the self-exiled communist leader, the NDFP has been proposing “goodwill measures” including reciprocal unilateral ceasefire and the release of sickly and elderly political prisoners.

However, Sison said the military and police’s supposed rebuffing of these proposals has resulted in doubts on Duterte’s offer of peace talks.

Sison further claimed that the rejection has indicated that there is a “malicious scheme” to continue the attacks against communist rebels.

“The NDFP and the revolutionary forces it represents are being challenged to fight against the escalation of military and police campaigns of suppression,” Sison said.

“They are being reminded by their own enemy to defend themselves and to intensify their own tactical offensives,” he added.

Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte directed Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to fly to the Netherlands and discuss with Sison the possible resumption of peace negotiation.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. had said the public should be elated that Duterte reached out anew to the communist group.

Both the police and military expressed support to the decision of the Chief Executive to talk again to Sison.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/718627/joma-claims-duterte-admin-not-really-interested-with-peace-talks/story/