Up to Duterte to resume peace talks with Reds — Sison

MANILA, Philippines — Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison yesterday said it is up to President Duterte to end his position of terminating peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

In a statement posted on NDFP’s website, Sison said the standing policy of the NDFP is to negotiate with the government anytime Duterte is ready to resume the peace negotiations.

“It is up to him (Duterte) to end his position of having terminated the peace negotiations with Proclamation 360. The standing policy of the NDFP is to negotiate with the (government) anytime he is ready to resume the peace negotiations in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration and further agreements,” Sison said. 

He added that Duterte may either be trying to “sound less hostile to the revolutionary movement or he is still hostile by trying to bribe the NPA (New People’s Army) fighters to surrender.”

“Duterte though is correct in saying that the NPA will continue to exist even after he and I are gone from the surface of the earth, if by implication he means that the root causes of the armed conflict must be addressed and solved by social, economic and political reforms,” Sison said.

Sison was reacting to Duterte’s statement issued on Friday softening in his stance on the communist rebels and even credited them for helping him win the presidency. 

“I would not be here in this position right now if not for the people of Davao, including the NPA,” Duterte said in his speech during the inauguration of a shopping mall in Davao City on Friday. “I don’t want to fight with you. I also don’t want to kill you. We are friends.”

The NPA, armed wing of the CPP, was declared by Duterte through an executive proclamation as a terror group in December 2017. 

But on Friday, he said the government would give housing and job opportunities to rebels who would lay down their arms.

“Female rebels, you’re better off here. We’ll hug each other. I’ll kiss you,” Duterte said.

In March 2018, he said female rebel fighters should not bear children because they “multiply the problem.” He was also criticized by women and human rights groups over his remarks about shooting the “Amazonas” in their genitals.

However, in his latest speech, the President said he is resigned to the fact that the rebels would never go away.

“When I die, the NPA will still be here. When Joma Sison dies, the NPA will still be here,” Duterte said.

Talks between the government and the communist rebels broke down in July 2017 after the government cited the NPA’s continued attacks against state troops despite ongoing negotiations. – With Edith Regalado