Duterte: Land reform to continue amid canceled talks with Reds

“With or without the talks between government and the communist, land reform will continue to be implemented. It will not end this way,” Duterte said during the distribution of the certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) to 1,680 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat on Monday. (PNA photo)

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte vowed to implement “genuine” land reform even if peace talks with communist rebels do not push through.

“With or without the talks between government and the communist, land reform will continue to be implemented. It will not end this way,” Duterte said during the distribution of the certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) to 1,680 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat on Monday.

He stressed that as President, he is privileged to implement genuine land reform through “strong and decisive governance”.

The President, meanwhile, urged state-run Land Bank to make credit and loans more accessible to farmers.

“I am urging the Land Bank to look for ways and means na makarating kayo doon sa farmers at anuhin mo man ‘yang pera na ‘yan, marami na ‘yan (where you can reach the farmers and whatever you do with the money, that’s a lot),” Duterte said.

Duterte described Land Bank as “almost like a commercial bank” and urged them to release the funds for farmers.

”Yang pera na ‘yan, bitawan na ninyo, give it to the farmers (That money, you should let go of it, give it to the farmers),” Duterte said.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza earlier said it would take “the presence of an enabling environment” to resume peace talks.

Duterte started formal peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in 2016 but canceled them last year because of continued attacks of the New People’s Army (NPA) on government forces.

He issued a proclamation classifying the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization in December last year.