Communist rebels ready to cooperate with Duterte for successful peace talks

LUCENA CITY – The communist rebels are ready to cooperate with the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte for the success of the peace talks to prevent further bloodshed, exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said Monday.

In an online interview from his base in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Sison said the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) “is always ready to reciprocate whatever good move he (Duterte) makes in the peace negotiations.”

He added: “The NDFP can also initiate good moves that are beneficial to the people.”

Sison, now serving as NDFP chief political consultant, made the declaration in response to President Duterte’s warning that if the talks fail, it could lead to the resumption of the war  between government forces and New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas, the CPP armed wing.

When asked for an update on the ongoing informal talks, Sison disclosed: “There are only a few kinks to iron out, while so many issues have been resolved.”

Meanwhile, in preparation for the peace talks, several detained rebel leaders had asked courts to grant them bail so they could travel to the Netherlands to take part in the talks.

Among them are CPP committee members, Rafael Baylosis and Alan Jazmines. Four other rebel leaders—Benito Tiamzon, Adelberto Silva, Vicente Ladlad and Randall Echanis—had also asked the court to grant them bail to join the talks. /je

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