Joma welcomes Go’s plea for peace with NPA

Jose Maria Sison. FILE PHOTO / INQUIRER

LUCENA CITY – Exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison welcomed the information that despite the ongoing armed conflict between New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and government forces President Duterte was still sincerely interested in making peace.

On Tuesday, Sison reiterated that the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the umbrella group of all underground communist organizations, “is consistent in its policy of being open to peace negotiations with the GRP (government) for the sake of the Filipino people.”

Sison spoke about two months after proclaiming the near end of Duterte’s administration.

READ: Joma Sison sees Duterte’s downfall soon

Sison, who is based in Utrecht, The Netherlands, made the statement after former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, one of the persons closest to President Duterte, appealed to the Maoist-inspired insurgents not to shut the door to peace negotiations with the government.

“I call on the NPA to trust President Duterte. There is no other leader like him who will sincerely talk peace with you,” Go said in San Andres, Quezon last Thursday.

Sison welcomed Go’s statement of support for the reopening of the stalled peace talks.
However, Sison told Go to address his concern to the President.

“If he (Go) means what he says, he should advise Duterte to allow his negotiating panel to engage in informal talks to prepare for formal talks,” Sison said in a statement Tuesday.

Sison, the NDFP chief political consultant, said the peace negotiation should address the roots of the armed conflict and agree on the social, economic and political reforms needed to lay the basis for a just and lasting peace.

Last week, Sison also welcomed the support of former Philippine Marine captain Rep. Gary Alejano for the resumption of the stalled peace talks.

“His (Alejano) position is welcome and consonant with the continuing policy of the NDFP to be open to peace negotiations for the sake of the Filipino people,” Sison said in a statement. /cbb