Peace talks with gov’t not yet terminated — Sison

The peace negotiations with the government have not been terminated, Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. Sison said Friday, as he clarified news reports that he has already terminated negotiations.

“Only the National Council of the NDFP [National Democratic Front of the Philippines] can make the decision to suspend, cancel or terminate the peace negotiations with GR and has not yet made such a decision,” he said in a statement.

The NDFP is the political arm of the CPP.

On Thursday, Sison said: ““Based on the implications drawn from the current impasse, the NDFP can no longer negotiate with a government that is headed by Duterte.”

READ: Sison: Reds ending talks with Duterte

Sison said they would instead focus on efforts to oust President Rodrigo Duterte and the peace talks can resume under a new administration.

The peace talks that were supposedly scheduled to resume on June 28 were cancelled as the President decided to hold more public consultations before it would resume. /muf