Duterte calls for ‘clear parameters’ in revival of peace efforts

President Rodrigo Duterte. (File photo by TONEE DESPOJO/ Cebu Daily News)

The government peace panel and the National Democratic Front (NDF) should have “clear parameters” in the restoration of ceasefire, following the resumption of the peace talks with the communist rebels, President Rodrigo Duterte has said.

“To ensure that genuine peace talks are realized, the President asked both panels to agree on clear parameters for ceasefire and the talks,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella told reporters in a Palace briefing.

Abella said Duterte gave the instructions during the National Security Council meeting in Malacañang on Monday night.

In a joint statement issued on Saturday in Utrecht, The Netherlands, the government and NDF representatives agreed to resume formal peace talks. Both peace panels said the fourth round of talks would be held the first week of April.

READ: Gov’t-NDF peace talks to resume — joint statement

Duterte’s call for clear parameters came amid a series of New People’s Army (NPA) attacks in Mindanao and northern Luzon.

READ: 2 NPA attacks mar peace bid

The President scrapped the peace talks in February and said it would no longer continue unless there’s a compelling reason to do so.

READ: Duterte: No more peace talks with Reds without ‘compelling reason’

“Peace talks will remain canceled unless there is a compelling reason that will benefit the interest of the nation,” Duterte has said. IDL/rga