PRESIDENTIAL Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said there is no supervening factor that will affect the resumption of the formal peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines on August 20 in Oslo, Norway.
“Let’s wait and see. But so far, as the moment, there is no supervening factor that will affect the upcoming talks in Oslo on August 20,” Dureza said in a text message to the Malacañang reporters.
Dureza made this reaction after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered on Saturday night the immediate lifting of the unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels after the CPP-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front failed to reciprocate within the Saturday’s 5 p.m. ultimatum.
In his first State of the Nation Address last Monday, President Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels.
However, the NPA rebels attacked a group of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU), killing one militiaman and wounding four others in Davao del Norte while the military troops were observing the unilateral ceasefire.
This prompted President Duterte to set last Friday a deadline until 5 p.m. Saturday for the communist rebels to reciprocate his offered unilateral ceasefire.
Earlier, the CPP said it was expecting to conclude three agreements—including one paving the way for an immediate ceasefire—during the talks in Oslo.
“There will be agreements on the release of the political prisoners, an interim ceasefire and a plan to accelerate the peace negotiations,” Sison told the Manila Standard in an interview from Utrecht.
“The interim ceasefire will take effect with the release of all political prisoners through a general amnesty until the successful conclusion of the peace negotiations. The formal peace talks will include a comprehensive and detailed agreement on the permanent end of hostilities,” he added.
Dureza denied rumors that the Armed Forces of the Philippines plan to sabotage the peace process between the government and the communist rebels.
“I have not found any indication at all that the AFP is sabotaging,” Dureza said in an interview with state-run dzRB on Saturday.
“As a matter of fact, if you listen to the supportive statements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, they have fully supported the President in his declaration, in our efforts to resume the peace negotiations, they have supported even the call of the President for a unilateral ceasefire,” Dureza said.