Jose Ma. Sison willing to meet with Duterte, but only abroad

MANILA, Philippines — Self-exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison accepted yesterday the offer of President Duterte for a one-on-one meeting, but said this should be “in a country that is a neighbor of the Philippines.”

In a post yesterday on the website of the National Democratic Front (NDF), Sison said Duterte’s offer is a welcome development.

“I welcome the positive statement of President Duterte that he would like to converse with me one on one,” Sison said, reacting to Duterte’s suggestion during a sit-down interview with Davao City-based independent media outfit MindaNews.

Sison, chief political consultant of the CPP’s umbrella organization NDF representing the CPP and its armed-wing the New People’s Army (NPA) in the peace talks, was Duterte’s college professor.

“In the interest of the Filipino people and for the sake and purpose of resuming the peace negotiations, I am willing to have serious conversations with President Duterte,” Sison said. 

Sison said it is necessary for the two of them to meet even just once.

“It would indeed be a waste if we would not interface even once, considering the success of the four rounds of formal talks since 2016,” Sison said.

But for their convenience, Sison suggested that he and Duterte meet in a neighboring country of the Philippines.

“Considering our mutual convenience and sense of prudence, we can meet in a country that is a neighbor of the Philippines,” Sison said.

Sison said Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) secretary and government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello III and NDF peace panel chairman Fidel Agcaoili can agree on the arrangements. 

“After the resumption of the peace negotiations, I can go to the Philippines for my first visit after a long time,” Sison said.

Sison has been living in self-imposed exile in the Netherlands since 1987. 

In an interview with MindaNews conducted at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City, Duterte said he is amenable to resuming peace negotiations with the NDF if the communists stopped issuing “arrogant” statements.

Despite Duterte’s tone, Sison said the suggestion of a one-on-one meeting “is more important than his still angry words.”

But Malacañang rejected Sison’s suggestion of a one-on-one meeting in another country. 

“Sorry to burst his bubble, he’s not that important,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

However, Roque said anything can still happen in the peace talks between the government and communists, adding that President Duterte is not setting preconditions for the resumption of negotiations.

“Anything can happen in this world, I guess. But for now it is closed,” Roque said.

Duterte terminated the peace talks with the communists last November, saying the rebels were pushing for a coalition government, a setup that he said is not allowed by the Constitution because it would force him to “share” the country’s sovereignty.

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