PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday urged Communist rebels to stop their attacks against the military and start building goodwill as the peace talks are set to resume next month.
Duterte in a speech before the Muslim community in his hometown on Friday sought a stop to ambuscades and kidnapping of soldiers.
“Let’s stop the killings and kidnapping of soldiers. It’s nonsense. Let’s do this so there’s no rambling whatsoever. Because the military cannot just keep silent while all of their men are being kidnapped and killed and while we’re in the process of perfecting the wherewithals of how to proceed with the peace talks,” he added.
On Wednesday, the New People’s Army has been ordered to strengthen its ranks and continue launching tactical offensives against “enemy units that have committed fascist crimes against the people” amid efforts to forge an alliance with the Duterte administration.
In an editorial in its official publication, Ang Bayan, the Communist Party of the Philippines also urged its armed wing to “disarm and arrest the biggest criminals involved in peddling illegal drugs” and to “launch actions to protect the environment against destructive mining, logging and plantation operations.”
The editorial, written in Filipino, acknowledged the “great potential” of building a “progressive and pro-people alliance between Duterte and the national democratic forces” even as it stressed that its forces are aware of “the limitations of this alliance” and the “dangers of being tied down, sucked up and drowned by this work.”
It recognized that Duterte himself “is working on and pushing this alliance” as it pointed out that he is also the head of a “reactionary state” that remains dominated by elite and foreign interests.
Duterte cited as an example chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has kept its peace despite the non-passage of a Bangsamoro Basic Law, the key to its peace agreement with the government.
“And Nur is also just having a stand down somewhere in Jolo,” Duterte added.
Duterte earlier expressed interest in granting safe conduct passes and political amnesty to four leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines who are currently locked behind bars and or currently seeking political asylum in other countries as long as Communist rebels lay down their arms and give way to the peace process initiated by the government.
Government peace negotiators added that up to 21 consultants are currently in the list of those being considered to be given safety conduct passess from the Jasig, all of which are currently incarcerated in different parts of the country of criminal charges.