Let’s move peace process forward, Palace urges Reds

FILE- Forward, the peace process. Photo from Jesus Dureza’s Facebook account

BAGUIO CITY – Malacañang welcomed on Sunday the resumption of peace talks between the government and communist rebels.

But presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the success of the peace talks is not an “exclusive responsibility of the government.”

“We remain hopeful that the leadership of the CPP/NPA/NDF can rein in its forces on the ground in reciprocating the efforts of the Duterte administration to move the peace process forward,” Abella said in a statement.

He said the burden of working out a successful peace talks must also be “shared by those who claim to speak for the underserved.”

“Peace-building, after all, is not the exclusive responsibility of the government” he added.

The Palace official said the resumption of the peace talks would be beneficial for the Filipinos who have been affected by the decades-long armed struggle.

“The resumption of the peace talks is a welcome sign that both sides are in agreement about the common good of the Filipino people,” he said.

The peace talks between the government and the communist rebels will resume on the first week of April in Oslo, Norway.