Duterte says he ‘may reconsider’ peace talks with Reds

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

President Rodrigo Duterte said he “may reconsider” his decision to conclude the peace talks with communist rebels if the other party declares a ceasefire.

“As far as I’m concerned, no talks, no ceasefire, work it out. If you can have it, fine, show it to me, maybe I will reconsider,” Duterte said on Tuesday, March 6, during a speech in Pasay City.

Duterte said he was angered by the recent statement of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison, who described him as the “number one terrorist” and “number one drug addict” in the country.

The President also criticized his former professor, even threatening him with arrest if the communist leader decides to come back to the Philippines.

It was Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, chief government negotiator in peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front (NDF), who asked Duterte to remain calm with his statements to Sison.

“Bebot Bello just asked me to tone down,” he said.

Last year, Duterte signed Proclamation No. 360, declaring the termination of peace negotiations with with the rebels.

“While we agreed to resume peace talks with the aforementioned group and exerted our best efforts to accelerate the signing and implementation of the final peace agreement, the NDFP-CPP-NPA has engaged in acts of violence and hostilities,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said last November 23.

“We find it unfortunate that their members have failed to show their sincerity and commitment in pursuing genuine and meaningful peaceful negotiations,” he added.

The Palace official said the leftist failed to show their sincerity and commitment in pursuing “genuine and meaningful” peaceful talks.

Aside from terminating the negotiations, the Chief Executive also declared the CPP-New People’s Army (NPA) a terrorist organization. This decision was welcomed by the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Duterte earlier said that he considered communist rebels as “criminals” after the death of a four-month-old baby and two other civilians in an ambush in Bukidnon last November 9.