Gov't calls off formal talks, backchannel negotiations with Reds
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison and presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza.
Philippines — Negotiations between the government and communists will not resume next month and even informal talks have been canceled because of recent guerrilla attacks.
Duterte issued the directive in a meeting with members of the government peace panel in Malacañang Tuesday night.
“The president directed the government panel negotiating with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP or NDF) not to resume formal peace talks unless the Reds agree to stop their attacks against government troops in Mindanao,” a Malacañang statement issued Wednesday read.
Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza also canceled plans to hold backchannel talks with the communist rebels this month.
“I am announcing the cancellation of backchannel talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front) originally set within the next few days in Europe due to recent developments involving attacks done by the NPAs,” Dureza said in an online post Wednesday.
“The situation on the ground necessary to provide the desired enabling environment for the conduct of peace negotiations are still not present up to this time,” he added.
According to the Malacañang statement, Duterte had stressed the need for communists to “stop engaging the military in Mindanao if they want to continue the peace negotiations.”
The statement also quoted the president as saying: "The government has always dealt with the communist rebels in good faith."
Earlier this month, government peace panel chair Silvestre Bello III said the government and communists may resume formal talks within the second or third week of August. He said informal talks may be held this month to discuss a possible interim ceasefire and socioeconomic reforms.
READ: A Year of Fighting and Talking
CPP orders attacks vs martial law in Mindanao
The fifth round of talks was suspended after the Communist Party of the Philippines ordered the New People’s Army to intensify attacks against state forces implementing martial law in Mindanao.
Asked about the possible resumption of talks next month, Dureza said: “We still do not have a commitment on that.”
“The fifth round are still officially suspended, okay? There is no decision to resume it,” he told reporters in a phone patch interview yesterday.
Duterte was in favor of conducting backchannel talks with the rebels during his meeting with government negotiators Tuesday night.
“What the president approved was the conduct of backchannel, informal quiet (talks) so we can bring to them the issues of no extortion, ceasefire, attacks. And then after that, whatever the results, we will report to the president to find out if it’s okay to resume,” Dureza said hours before announcing the cancelation of the backchannel talks.
The Malacañang statement quoted Dureza as saying that the resumption of formal talks “would depend on the rebel group’s commitment to follow certain guidelines for a possible ceasefire deal with government.”
The guidelines include suspending operations against the military and the police and stopping all their extortion activities on the ground.
The meeting between Duterte and the government peace panel happened on the same day the CPP ordered the NPA to resist the president’s plan to extend martial law in Mindanao.
“The New People’s Army must continue to strengthen itself nationwide by carrying out armed counteractions and offensives across the country to defeat the Mindanao martial law and nationwide all-out war,” CPP said in a statement.
Members of the Presidential Security Group figured in an incident with NPA members manning a checkpoint in North Cotabato on Wednesday morning. According to the Palace, around 50 NPA guerrillas fired on PSG vehicles when the president's bodyguards noticed the checkpoint was unauthorized.
Duterte issued the directive in a meeting with members of the government peace panel in Malacañang Tuesday night.
“The president directed the government panel negotiating with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP or NDF) not to resume formal peace talks unless the Reds agree to stop their attacks against government troops in Mindanao,” a Malacañang statement issued Wednesday read.
Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza also canceled plans to hold backchannel talks with the communist rebels this month.
“I am announcing the cancellation of backchannel talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front) originally set within the next few days in Europe due to recent developments involving attacks done by the NPAs,” Dureza said in an online post Wednesday.
“The situation on the ground necessary to provide the desired enabling environment for the conduct of peace negotiations are still not present up to this time,” he added.
According to the Malacañang statement, Duterte had stressed the need for communists to “stop engaging the military in Mindanao if they want to continue the peace negotiations.”
The statement also quoted the president as saying: "The government has always dealt with the communist rebels in good faith."
Earlier this month, government peace panel chair Silvestre Bello III said the government and communists may resume formal talks within the second or third week of August. He said informal talks may be held this month to discuss a possible interim ceasefire and socioeconomic reforms.
READ: A Year of Fighting and Talking
CPP orders attacks vs martial law in Mindanao
The fifth round of talks was suspended after the Communist Party of the Philippines ordered the New People’s Army to intensify attacks against state forces implementing martial law in Mindanao.
Asked about the possible resumption of talks next month, Dureza said: “We still do not have a commitment on that.”
“The fifth round are still officially suspended, okay? There is no decision to resume it,” he told reporters in a phone patch interview yesterday.
Duterte was in favor of conducting backchannel talks with the rebels during his meeting with government negotiators Tuesday night.
“What the president approved was the conduct of backchannel, informal quiet (talks) so we can bring to them the issues of no extortion, ceasefire, attacks. And then after that, whatever the results, we will report to the president to find out if it’s okay to resume,” Dureza said hours before announcing the cancelation of the backchannel talks.
The Malacañang statement quoted Dureza as saying that the resumption of formal talks “would depend on the rebel group’s commitment to follow certain guidelines for a possible ceasefire deal with government.”
The guidelines include suspending operations against the military and the police and stopping all their extortion activities on the ground.
The meeting between Duterte and the government peace panel happened on the same day the CPP ordered the NPA to resist the president’s plan to extend martial law in Mindanao.
“The New People’s Army must continue to strengthen itself nationwide by carrying out armed counteractions and offensives across the country to defeat the Mindanao martial law and nationwide all-out war,” CPP said in a statement.
Members of the Presidential Security Group figured in an incident with NPA members manning a checkpoint in North Cotabato on Wednesday morning. According to the Palace, around 50 NPA guerrillas fired on PSG vehicles when the president's bodyguards noticed the checkpoint was unauthorized.
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