Petition to tag rebels as terrorists stay amid Duterte’s peace initiatives, Palace says

President Duterte’s readiness to re-open peace talks with the Left does not imply that the government will withdraw its petition filed in court seeking to officially tag communist rebels as terrorists.

The petition to declare more than 600 people as terrorists remains, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

“For as long as the legal requirements under the Human Security Act are met, then the government will pursue its proscription action against these people regardless of the fact that coincidentally, they are supposed to be “consultants” in the peace process,” he said on Wednesday in a Palace press briefing.

“For now, that statement by the President, which is premised on certain preconditions, will not affect in anyway the pending petition for the prescription of certain individuals as terrorists or violators of the Human Security Act,” he added.

(DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 04/ 5 /18)