President Rodrigo Duterte said he will set a “60-day window” for the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to restore peace negotiations with the government, adding that it should take advantage of the timeframe given.
The president, in a speech made in Legazpi City, Albay, said that he is currently in talks with the CPP founder Jose Maria Sison.
“I am talking to Sison now. It is an off-and-on thing and probably the military and the police have misgivings,” he said.
Duterte added that he invited Sison, who has been in exile in the Netherlands since 1987, to come back to the country, promising to pay all of his expenses.
Moreover, he assured rebels “complete freedom” while the peace renegotiation is on-going.
“I will give you complete freedom to move. I will not harass anyone and I will order the military and the police to be nice to you,” he said, adding that if they wish to roam around, they can but their weapons must be left inside the camp.
If the peace talks succeed, Duterte said, “I would like to thank God first, and the Filipino people and the military and the police for their understanding. I cannot do anything, I have to seek peace that is to be sought.”
(DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 04/ 23 /18)