Dureza clarifies Duterte has no conditions in resuming peace talks

Rodrigo Duterte and Jesus Dureza. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/DENNIS JAY SANTOS

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus “Jess” Dureza clarified on Saturday that President Rodrigo Duterte was not setting preconditions for the resumption of the peace talks with the communist rebels.

Dureza issued the statement after Duterte said in a speech in Cagayan de Oro that he wanted a genuine ceasefire, the release of all prisoners held captive by the rebels, and a stop to the extortion activities of the New People’s Army (NPA) before he reconsiders the possible resumption of the peace agreement.

“These are what the President wishes,” Dureza said in an interview over state-run dzRB radio.

“Please make it very clear na hindi iyan condition dahil ‘yung peace negotiations kasi walang dapat conditionalities eh. Walang preconditions sa negotiating table di ba,” he added.

(Please make it very clear that those are not conditions because there should be no conditionality in peace negotiations. There should be no preconditions in the negotiating table.)

READ: No peace talks as long as NPA rebels ‘full of hate,’ says Duterte

He said the President’s wish “could provide the so-called compelling reason” for the peace talks to resume.

But the Palace official said he has yet to receive “specific instructions” from the chief executive.

On February 4, Duterte said peace talks with communist rebels 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,” he said in an interview in Davao City a day after he lifted the unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels. IDL