MANILA, Philippines - The National Democratic Front (NDF) said yesterday it would just wait for President Aquino’s term to end and continue its armed struggle, claiming the government reneged on previously signed agreements.
Luis Jalandoni, chairman of the NDF negotiating panel, said the government should comply with the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), which prohibits the arrest and detention of communists working as peace consultants.
“If the Aquino government continues to refuse, then the NDF will go on with its revolutionary struggle,†Jalandoni said in a video interview posted on the NDF website.
He stressed that the NDF would be open to peace negotiations with the next administration.
At the same time, Jalandoni belied government’s claim that the NDF had scuttled peace negotiations by setting preconditions, adding that it merely demanded the implementation of signed agreements.
“The prospects have dimmed because of the rhetoric of the Philippine government stating that it is ending peace negotiations with the NDFP,†he said.