A TOP adviser to the National Democratic Front urged President Rodrigo Duterte Tuesday night to drop “untenable” preconditions for the resumption of peace talks.
Luis Jalandoni, NDF senior peace adviser, said in a a television interview, the preconditions were unjustifiable, adding “The NDF is willing to resume peace talks with any regime that seriously wants to resolve the roots of armed conflict.”
“We have been informed of the possibilities, but have been told that it’s better to be quiet [on the details] for now,” he added.
The President insisted on a ceasefire between the Armed Forces and the New People’s Army while negotiators hammered out an agreement on social and economic reforms.
“It’s not tenable,” Jalandoni said.
“It’s clear to Duterte and to his advisers, and to [Labor Secretary and peace panel member Silvestre] Bello and the others. There cannot be such a thing as surrender, or a prolonged ceasefire without substantial inroads on basic social and economic issues. The NDF will never agree.”
In a speech Wednesday night, Duterte acknowledged that the left always wanted to resume the talks, but he needed to “protect the people” amid their supposed attacks.
“Sometimes we attack each other. But at the end of the day, we find time for forgiveness and they always wanted and until now to resume the talks between government and me,” he said.
“But as President now, I carry the burden of governance and as a democracy. I am here as the President now and my main or fundamental duty is to protect the people and preserve the Republic of the Philippines. Nothing else would matter,” he added.
If the New People’s Army would continue to fight government, “that is not my position,” Duterte said.
Duterte had said he was exploring the possible resumption of talks while accusing them of joining a conspiracy to unseat him from power.
Duterte earlier met with Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza and Labor Secretary Bello.
Government negotiators earlier canceled the fifth round of formal negotiations last May after failing to secure an open-ended bilateral ceasefire agreement with the NDF.
The slated resumption of the talks last August were likewise canceled, amid the lack of enabling environment to proceed with the talks.
In his second State of the Nation Address, Duterte warned that the communists would soon be the government’s next target when the crisis in war-torn Marawi City ended.