Reds remain open to peace talks – Joma

LUCENA CITY—Exiled top communist leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said the Maoist-inspired rebels would always remain open to negotiating for peace with the government even if President Duterte would repeatedly reject it.

“Kahit sabihin niyang ayaw na niya ang peace talks, bukas pa rin ang pinto ng NDFP para sa pag-uusap alang-alang sa sambayanang Pilipino (Even if he says he no longer wants peace talks, the door of the NDFP is still open for talks in consideration of the Filipino people),” Sison, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder, said in an online interview from his base in Utrecht, The Netherlands on Wednesday.

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) is the umbrella group of communist-led organizations that have been representing the insurgents in the on and off peace negotiations with the government since 1986.

Sison made the reaction to President Duterte’s continued flip-flops about the peace talks after the country’s chief executive on Tuesday again rejected the resumption of the stalled negotiation.

“Also with the NPA. I will never talk to you. I can’t do anything,” Duterte said in his visit to Sulu a day after twin explosions hit a Roman Catholic church in Jolo town.

The President has expressed exasperation on the futility of pursuing talks with the communist rebels who continue to ambush government troops. /lzb