Rody to give rebels lands should peace talks succeed

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Duterte is ready to distribute public lands to members of the New People’s Army if peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway succeed.

He said he is willing to “give more” to the Left, aside from providing money and public lands to communist combatants.

Duterte also declared yesterday a ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF).

“I am joining the Communist Party of the Philippines in its desire to seek peace for this nation. That is my plea to everybody – communists, soldiers, police – to understand that there is always a time for everything,” he said. “We cannot be at war at all times.”

At a press conference early yesterday morning, Duterte said he first discussed the matter on the ceasefire with the commanders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

“I am not a President who would enjoy waging war against the citizens of this Republic,” he said.

“It pains me deeply to see people dying for an ideology that we can talk over peacefully, just like now.

“Because as President my main task is to seek the peace for my country.”

The military and police should understand that he would want peace to reign in the country rather than war, Duterte said. 

In Oslo in Norway, CPP founder Jose Maria Sison also said his party is willing to issue another ceasefire order as soon as the  seven-day ceasefire issued last week would expire on Saturday.

“(The) goodwill ceasefire will end. A new ceasefire will take over. It will be much longer than seven days starting Sunday, Aug. 28,” Sison said.

Duterte said he is given only the generic agreements in the peace talks and not the details of the points or issues discussed.

In talking of land reform, Duterte said the lands to be distributed will not come from the landowners.

“It is a genuine land reform,” he said.

“But I will not confiscate lands (or) get it from people who own… there’s so much land in the Philippines… just tell me and I would give them everything.”

Duterte said he is not willing to do land reform   similar to what has been done in the past, where the government would buy land from landowners and distribute it to farmers or the landless who would eventually end up selling the property back to its original owner.

“I will not do that, that would be an injustice,” he said.

Duterte reiterated his call for peace, pointing out that the communists started fighting when he was yet a college student and are still fighting now.

“But now, we have hit a kind of an agreement there to talk,” he said.

“See? We can talk with each other after all,” he said, adding that he is not afraid of war but of the effect it has on the economy and the society in general.

On Wednesday, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said both the government and the communist panels agreed on three of five major issues: affirmation of previously signed agreements; reconstitution of the Joint Agreement on Security and Immunity Guarantees list; and accelerated process for negotiations, including the timeline for the completion of the remaining substantive agenda for the talks like socio-economic reforms, political and economic reforms, end of hostilities and disposition of forces.  

In Eastern Mindanao, the Armed Forces has suspended military operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) following the restoration of the unilateral ceasefire against the CPP/NDF over the weekend. 

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero directed units under his command to suspend offensive military operations after Duterte restored the ceasefire with the CPP-NPA-NDF effective Aug. 21.  – With Alexis Romero, Artemio Dumlao, Jose Rodel Clapano