(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, July 7, said he was no longer interested in pursuing peace talks with the Communist rebels.
The President made the pronouncement after saying he took offense at Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison’s pronouncement that Duterte would not last as President for three years.
He also noted what he said was the communists plan to have him ousted by October.
Sison has denied the existence of such a plan.
“Kaya ang sabi ko kay Sison ngayon, ‘ayaw ko na makipag-usap sa inyo kasi sabi ninyo three years na lang pala ako dito. Wala na akong time makipag-usap sa inyo. Bahala na kayo diyan,’” Duterte said.
Peace talks were supposed to resume on June 28, but the government suspended these, saying it would consult with the public beforehand.
This enraged Sison, who said Communists could no longer pursue peace talks with Duterte as President.
He later clarified he could only recommend and not cancel peace talks on his own.