Joma Sison welcomes Dureza, Bello as gov’t peace adviser, negotiator with CPP-NPA

Jose Maria Sison, founding chair of the Communist Party of the Philippines, CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA — Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. Sison has welcomed the planned appointments of Jesus Dureza as peace adviser and Silvestre Bello, as chief government negotiator with the National Democratic Front under the incoming Duterte administration, even as he looks forward to the resumption of the stalled peace talks with the government.

“We welcome the appointment of Jess Dureza as peace adviser and Bebot Bello as chief negotiator with NDFP,” Sison said in an email to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Sison said he also thanked Duterte for “his trust and confidence,” in offering Cabinet posts for agrarian reform, labor, social welfare and environment and natural resources to the CPP leadership, saying this would further “inspire” the conduct of the peace negotiations.

“The NDFP and CPP welcome the magnanimous offers of President-elect Duterte of Cabinet positions,” Sison said. “They will study the offers most seriously and will decide how they can help in the best possible appointments.”

He said both the NDFP and the CPP would “choose and recommend for appointment persons who are motivated by service to the people and who are competent, honest and diligent.”

“Such appointments will be inspiring to the peace negotiations,” Sison said.

In another interview later, Sison said the CPP-NPA would only accept Cabinet posts after the successful conclusion of the peace negotiations.  SFM