Consensus on terms: Peace panels meet on truce

PHNOM PENH—Government and communist rebel truce negotiators will meet after Christmas to try to reach agreement on a bilateral ceasefire, chief government peace negotiator Silvestre Bello III said on Wednesday.

President Duterte earlier rejected a plea of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines for the release 130 political prisoners to encourage the insurgents to sign a bilateral ceasefire.

Mr. Duterte said he wanted a joint ceasefire deal first, then he would order the release of the political prisoners.

Bello said the meeting of the ceasefire committees was expected be held from Dec. 26 to 29.

He said the ceasefire committees would try to reach a consensus on the conditions for a joint ceasefire deal and the definition of terms such as hostile acts, the buffer zones where their forces may go and the identities of their mediators in case of violations.