(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, March 21, officially shot down any possibility of a resumption of peace talks with the Communist rebels.
Duterte made the announcement in a speech at the 122nd anniversary of the Philippine Army.
“I am no longer entertaining any interventions or persuasions in this democratic state of the Republic of the Philippines..My sense if that maybe you can talk to the next President of this republic one day,” he said.
Duterte’s announcement came after he officially dissolved the government peace panel in charge of the peace talks led by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
In making the move, Duterte cited the termination of peace talks in November 2017, following what he said were the Communist rebels’ atrocities that included the killing of a baby.
The Palace, however, later said new panels for localized peace talks would be set up.