Duterte: Talks with Reds can resume some other time

MANILA, Philippines — The government peace panel led by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III may “resuscitate” the peace negotiations with communist rebels “some other time,” President Duterte said last night.

Speaking at the 84th anniversary of the Department of Labor and Employment in Bulacan Capitol gymnasium, Duterte lamented the breakdown of peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). 

Duterte said he was hoping to strike peace with the CPP-NPA-NDF as his campaign promise but was forced to cancel the negotiations with them because of the treacherous attacks by the insurgents on government forces.

Duterte later signed proclamations cancelling the peace talks and declaring the communist rebels as terrorists.

“So, I had to stop the talks with the NPAs but Bebot (Bello) and company can always resuscitate it at some other time,” Duterte told the gathering.

“I told Bebot, pahinga muna (take a rest)… there are still human elements involved. You start to talk – let us raise it to the level of no attacks,” he said.

Duterte said he could no longer tolerate the rebels who kept attacking government forces and extorted money from private firms even during the peace talks and a ceasefire. 

The rebels should stop collecting revolutionary taxes if they want to show sincerity to go to the negotiating table, he said.

Duterte said the government can provide the budget for the peace talks with the rebels but only if they stop attacking government forces.

“We can subsidize the talks and even the billeting and all. Even if I have to spend money for it… but you have to stop (attacking government forces),” he said.

Probe

The Philippine Army yesterday said it would welcome any investigation by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on last week’s encounter between government troops and communist rebels in Nasugbu, Batangas.

The troops involved in the clash said any probe would eventually show those killed in the clashes were NPA rebels.

“We welcome CHR’s move to investigate the encounter,” said Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division.

“With all killed wearing their bandoleers and holding their M-16s, we are confident that those who died in the encounter are NPAs,” he said.

Last Tuesday, combined troops from the Philippine Air Force’s 730th Combat Group and the Nasugbu Police engaged the NPA rebels and killed 14 of them.

Among the dead was the secretary of NPA Guerrilla Unit 3 and a platoon leader, while five soldiers suffered minor injuries during the firefight.

“We could only hope that the investigation will show results that are true, fair and not biased,” Parayno said of the CHR probe.

Meanwhile, two soldiers were injured Thursday in a gunbattle with suspected NPA rebels in a remote village in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.

An Air Force helicopter also made an emergency landing in nearby Hinigaran town in Negros Occidental after transporting the wounded soldiers.

Capt. Ruel Llanes, 303rd Infantry Brigade spokesman, yesterday said the helicopter suffered engine trouble in midair, prompting an emergency landing.

Llanes said no one among the helicopter crew were hurt.

Llanes added the two Army soldiers were immediately discharged from hospital after treatment of minor injuries. – Michael Punongbayan, Gilbert Bayoran