CPP, NDFP welcome Duterte’s offer of Cabinet posts but…
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. FILE PHOTOS
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is open to presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer for them to join his government, but the two sides will first have to conclude peace negotiations, Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said Tuesday.
“The CPP and NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) welcome the offer of 4 cabinet posts and thank President RD (Rodrigo Duterte) for his trust and confidence,” Sison told INQUIRER.net through an online interview.
READ: Duterte: 4 Cabinet posts open to Reds
On Monday, Duterte said he will offer the top positions for the department of labor, agrarian reform, social work, and environment and natural resources to the CPP if it decides to join his government. He also reiterated his offer to talk peace with Sison.
However, the CPP founder and chief political consultant of NDFP said they can “suggest to him (Duterte) highly qualified persons who can serve the people honestly and diligently.”
READ: Duterte says communist leader Joma Sison welcome home
“In the meantime, while peace negotiations are still going, no CPP official, member or expert can cross over to the other side of the negotiating table,” Sison explained.
He said he knows “patriotic and progressive people” who can join Duterte’s Cabinet even if they are not part of the CPP and its political arm, NDFP.
“There is no problem about there being CPP and NDFP representations in a government of national unity, peace and development that arises from the peace process,” he added.
Duterte is said to have close ties with the New People’s Army (CPP’s military arm), which is responsible for waging the longest-running insurgency in Asia.
The tough-talking mayor was a former student of Sison at the Lyceum of the Philippines University and earlier promised to visit the latter in the Netherlands. JE/rga
READ: Joma, Digong set meeting in Europe
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