Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 4) — Over a month after it suspended peace talks with communist rebels, the government says it is ready return to the negotiating table.
Government Peace Panel Chairman Silvestre Bello III on Tuesday said peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) will resume “probably” by the second or third week of August.
He said he had this “initial understanding” with NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili in a meeting on July 2, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte called on rebels to stop fighting government troops and continue the peace talks instead.
Also read: Duterte to communists: Can we stop fighting for a while?
Prior to the resumption of formal negotiations, Bello said the government and NDFP peace panels will discuss in July the socio-economic reforms pushed by the rebels, and the possible declaration of an interim unilateral ceasefire by both parties.
Bello said the government suggested the preliminary meeting to be held in the country, but the NDFP wanted it in Japan. They have yet to decide on the final venue, but Bello said it would most likely be in an Asian country.
The government and the rebels were supposed to discuss a ceasefire agreement on May 27, but the government suspended the negotiations. It cited as reason the communists’ pronouncement they will intensify attacks against government forces amid the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
Also read: Duterte declares martial law in Mindanao
Although “skirmishes are expected” in an armed conflict, Bello said the communists’ pronouncement does not sit well with the Hague Joint Declaration, which required both parties to create an atmosphere conducive to the peace talks.
On June 17, the NDFP called on the New People’s Army (NPA), the communists’ armed wing, to “refrain” from attacking government forces in Mindanao, and focus instead on helping troops flush out terrorists.
Peace talks under the Duterte admin
Despite an optimistic start to the peace talks when he assumed presidency, Duterte withdrew from the negotiations twice already.
The other was on February 4 this year. Duterte said he already considers the NPA as terrorists, saying they “were killing his soldiers” and violating a unilateral ceasefire they had earlier declared.
The peace talks resumed in April, only to break down again in May.
The Duterte government is the sixth administration to talk to rebels in a bid to end the Communist Party of the Philippines’ 48-year-old insurgency, the longest-running armed rebellion in Asia. The NDFP represents the rebels in the pace talks.
Negotiations went on and off even in the previous administrations.
“In the process, there will be ups and downs but we will stay in the course of the process,” Bello said.
