Malacañang assures peace talks with NPA will pursue despite ceasefire lifting.
Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said that the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) which will be held on August will not be affected by the lifting of unilateral ceasefire.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday called off the ceasefire that he recently declared on his first State of the Nation Address when the NPA did not respond to his call to declare the same with the government.
READ ALSO: Duterte Lifts Short-lived Ceasefire With NPA.
Dureza told the media that the peace talks has already been scheduled on August 20 to 27 and shall pursue despite the current circumstances.
He further clarified that long before the unilateral ceasefire declaration, an interim ceasefire has already been made part of the agenda. There is a big possibility that the ceasefire agreement between the parties will be fine-tuned in Oslo, Norway.
In Oslo, CPP Founding Chairman Jose Maria ‘Joma’ Sison also expressed his hopes that the peace talks shall pursue despite the lifting of the ceasefire.
But he defended the party for not meeting the president’s ultimatum on 5PM, Saturday, saying that they were about to issue a ceasefire order on 8PM but Duterte just could not wait.
Sison urged his former student, now the president, to take things easy and be not on haste in his decisions.
Sison’s failure to answer Duterte’s unilateral ceasefire gained varied reactions from different personalities in the country.
Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson on his Twitter post said, “Duterte lifts ceasefire with Reds as ultimatum lapses.. Sison: CPP-NPA supposed to declare ceasefire at 8 p.m.. So, declare it stupid!”.
Duterte’s critics, Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Leila de Lima also had their say on the issue. Trillanes supported the president’s move but suggested to move NDFP nominees in his Cabinet while De Lima was saddened and pushed for having a “confidence building” measure for the peace talks.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate also felt sorry for the lifting of the ceasefire and considered it a loss but he still hopes for the resumption of the formal peace talks on August 20.