NDF says rebels wanted talks prior to arrests

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The head of the rebel panel in suspended peace talks with the government belied claims that the rebels sought a return to the negotiating table only after the arrests of its two highest ranking leaders.

Luis Jalandoni, chair of the peace panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), on Tuesday said the rebels have long been calling for the resumption of the peace talks contrary to statements attributed to government peace negotiator Alex Padilla that the rebels revived calls for a return to the negotiating table only after the arrest of spouses Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria, top leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Jalandoni said Padilla’s statement was “completely untrue and malicious.”

Padilla said the rebels were not serious in the peace process and only using the on and off negotiation to free their detained comrades.

Jalandoni, in an e-mail statement, said he and Padilla met on Feb. 27 and Padilla, at that time, knew that the rebels had wanted to resume the talks.

Jalandoni said also in February, he met with Norwegian embassy officials to convey the rebels’ agreement to resume talks with the government.

Last week, exiled CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison had proposed that representatives from both parties hold informal talks to bring back the peace negotiations to life.

Jalandoni also assailed Padilla’s declaration that the Aquino administration now wants to negotiate with rebel leaders based in the country instead of those who are abroad, apparently referring to Jalandoni and Sison.