Duterte reiterates martial law extension in meet with militants

President Rodrigo Duterte (center in Barong) talks with leaders of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in Malacañang Tuesday night, July 19, 2017. MALACAñANG PHOTO / ROBINSON NIñAL

Leaders of the leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) met with President Duterte for more than an hour in Malacañang on Tuesday evening, a militant leader said.

Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. said Bayan sought the meeting with Duterte to discuss various issues of national interest, such as the peace talks and martial law.

“First of all, we are thankful for the time the President set aside for the meeting with Bayan leaders. We were the ones who asked for the meeting,” Reyes said.

He said those who attended included representatives of party-list groups, peasants and workers organizations, and representatives from Mindanao.

“As expected, there was a clear difference in our positions on martial law. The President is decided on extending it. We are decided to fight this,” he said, adding that Bayan underscored its opposition to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)

President Duterte imposed martial law on the whole of Mindanao after ISIS-inspired terrorists overran Marawi.

On the peace talks with communist rebels, the President maintained the position “of his security cluster” and insisted on a “prolonged ceasefire” before discussing reforms, Reyes said.

“This position of theirs is publicly known and frequently causes a delay in the peace talks,” he said.

“This is different from the framework of the peace talks (that focuses on) ‘resolving the roots of the armed conflict by implementing meaningful reforms.’ Implement reforms to stop the fighting,” he added.

Reyes said the President also made no commitments on ending the militarization of lumad communities and the attacks of their schools or on the scrapping of the visiting forces agreement with the United States.

However, there might be some agreement on some issues like freeing elderly political prisoners, labor contractualization, free tuition for students in state universities and colleges, and agrarian reform, Reyes said.

“But the commitments are not yet concrete and the masses need to intensify the struggle,” he added.

On the other hand, Reyes said the President said he had no plans to stop militants from their planned rally on Monday when Mr. Duterte delivers his State of the Nation Address before Congress.

“He said he won’t stop or block it,” Reyes citing the President as saying.

“Let us continue to fight the anti-people and anti-national policies of the regime. Let the call for the peace talks to proceed ring out louder!”  he added. CBB