Duterte, Sison agree on advancement of peace process

President Rodrigo Duterte and Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison had agreed that the peace process should move forward, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Duterte and Sison had their conversation at 2 a.m. Tuesday.

“Yes, it went through. It was mostly a conversation between friends,” Abella said in a statement.

”No references were made to political issues. Both agreed on moving [the] peace process forward,” he added.

In a Palace briefing, Abella said the two had a “warm conversation.”

“From the sources, it was a warm conversation between old friends, but there were no details, there were no political issues that were covered. However, both agreed that the peace process must move forward,” he said.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Sison said he had a “friendly and productive” phone conversation with Duterte about advancing the peace talks.

READ: Joma Sison: Phone chat with Duterte on peace deal ‘productive’

He said the unilateral ceasefire declaration between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) would stand during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“Bilateral ceasefire agreement and the amnesty and release of the political prisoners listed by the NDFP can be discussed and agreed upon before, during and even after the third round of formal talks in Rome from January 18 to 24,” he said. CDG

READ: Duterte to free 20 political prisoners