President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is flanked by incoming peace adviser Jesus Dureza and other officials at a press conference in Davao City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The incoming peace adviser of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Friday night left the Philippines for Norway to meet with communist leader Jose Maria Sison.
“I am flying tonight to Paris en route to Oslo, Norway for an informal meeting with the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) headed by Mr. Jose Ma. Sison upon instructions from Pres-elect Rodrigo Duterte to work for the early resumption of the stalled peace negotiations,” Jesus Dureza said in a statement.
Dureza, who was accompanied by incoming Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and former Pangasinan Rep. Hernani Braganza, said he looked forward to a “fruitful meeting.”
Bello and Braganza were both peace negotiators during previous administrations.
“We look forward to a fruitful meeting under the auspices of the Norwegian government in the sidelines of the Oslo Forum,” he said.
Oslo Forum “convenes senior conflict mediators, high level decision makers and key peace process actors in a series of informal and discreet retreats to share their experiences, identify challenges and reflect on mediation practice.”
No negotiatios with ASG, BIFF
Dureza also clarified news reports that he was open to negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
He said he directly negotiated with the Abu Sayyaf for the release of his friend John Ridsel.
Ridsel is the Canadian who was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf after his family failed to raise the demanded ransom.
“Negotiating with them in the context of what we are doing with the Bangsamoro and the CPP/NPA/NDF is definitely not the way forward. They have to face the full force of the law for their terrorism and criminal acts,” Dureza said.