Joma: We’re ‘ever ready’ to resume talks

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison on Friday said the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) was “ever ready” to resume peace talks with the Philippine government.

Sison issued this statement after President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippines remained committed to achieving peace following his meeting with Idun Tvedt, Norwegian special envoy for the peace process between the Philippine government and the NDFP.

“The NDFP is ever ready to negotiate with the GRP as soon as the GRP [or GPH, meaning government of the Philippines] ceases to terminate the peace negotiations and allows its negotiating panel to negotiate with its NDFP counterpart,’ Sison said in a statement sent to INQUIRER.net.

During the meeting, Tvedt “reiterated the commitment of the Norwegian government to assist the Philippines in its peace process” with the communist rebels.

“The NDFP is ever grateful to the Royal Norwegian Government for its commitment and efforts to facilitate the peace negotiations between the GRP and NDFP,” Sison said.

Sison said “the two panels have achieved so much in four rounds of formal talks and in their work last October and November to prepare for the fifth round of formal talks.”

“The positive results of their work should not go to waste,” he said.

For both the GRP and NDFP, he said  “it is easier and more economical to seek lasting peace through negotiations to address the roots of the armed conflict and forge comprehensive agreements on social, economic and political reforms than to rely solely on the use of military force.”

“It would be politically and financially costly at the expense of the people if the Duterte regime relies solely on its  all-out war policy, Oplan Kapayapaan and Operation Pacific Eagle-Philippines and tries to bribe the AFP, PNP and paramilitaries to go on a rampage of mass murder with 25,000 pesos for the killing of every suspected or maliciously listed NPA member,” he said.

On November 23, 2017, Duterte signed Proclamation No. 360, formally terminating the peace talks with the communist rebels.

He also signed a proclamation declaring the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization.