There is still hope for peace — Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte. AP FILE PHOTO

The government is still open to smoking the peace pipe with the communist rebels, a Malacanang official clarified on Sunday, hours after President Duterte announced his decision to scuttle the talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Miffed over the recent offensives launched by the New People’s Army (NPA) which killed several soldiers, the President on Saturday ended the government’s unilateral ceasefire with the communists and ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to prepare for battle.

Moments after visiting the wake of a slain soldier in Davao City, Mr. Duterte on Saturday night disclosed he had opted to pull out of the peace negotiations with the CPP-NPP, saying he felt “there is a joke somewhere. I will not waste my time.”

Interviewed over state radio DZRB, Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Marie Banaag maintained that the government peace panel, headed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, remained committed in securing “permanent peace and how to go about the parameters of going through a permanent ceasefire.”

“Malacanang is still open to negotiations,” Banaag stressed.

“It’s hard for them (CPP) to control their people on the ground. However, the peace panel will still endeavor to talk and negotiate for peace,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.

But she reminded the AFP and other government forces to be on alert as both the CPP and the Duterte administration had lifted their respective unilateral ceasefire declarations.

“It’s not war per se like you have to go hunt them (down),” Banaag added. (We will return) to the status before their declaration of the ceasefire.” CBB/rga

RELATED VIDEO