Reds offer to join fight vs Maute

NOORDWIJK, The Netherlands — Communist negotiators have offered a ceasefire and the deployment of New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas against local terrorists in a bid to revive the suspended peace talks.

“The GRP and [National Democratic Front] must act in consonance with the Filipino people’s clamor for peace [and] reforms,” the NDF  said in a statement.

The NDF issued the statement on Thursday after communist leaders Jose Maria Sison, Fidel Agcaoili and Benito Tiamzon met with government negotiator and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello and government negotiator Angela Librado.

Agcaoili, who signed the statement, said the “fruitful” three-hour meeting resulted in an agreement on a common stand against terrorism and a commitment to resume talks.

He said both the government and the communist movement must “stand together to oppose and fight terrorism, terrorist groups and acts of terrorism.”

“We must condemn and must be resolved and determined to counteract the Maute group and (Abu) Sayyaf, which are wreaking havoc in Marawi City,” the statement said.

He said the NPA’s counteraction against terrorism “must be appropriate and proportional to the degree of danger and threat and/or harm” by extremists behind the Marawi City seige.

“Upon the success of the counterterrorist measure, these must cease to allow normalcy and full respect for human rights as soon as possible,” Agcaoili added.