The Aquino administration yesterday welcomed the calls of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front on the resumption of formal peace talks in January as CPP founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison said the rebel group is now finally open to negotiating an indefinite ceasefire.
“The government has always believed that dialog provides the most viable opportunity for attaining peace,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said.
Sison said the communist insurgents, after resisting government overtures for an indefinite ceasefire agreement for so long, are now ready to seriously discuss it.
He said an agreement on social and economic reforms can also be hammered out before President Benigno Aquino III steps down in 2016.
“There are possible substantial agreements — like the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms and an agreement on truce and cooperation — that can be signed before the end of Aquino’s term,” Sison said.
Presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles confirmed that there have been back-channel talks to resume the peace talks, but clarified that the government wants to clarify certain issues.
“It is true that friends of the process have been shuttling between the two parties to explore possible parameters for restarting talks at the earliest time possible,” Deles said.
“So far, feedback has been positive but there remain matters to be clarified in order to ensure that, if ever we do resume talks, it will not go the same way of an early, major impasse that has happened too often in the past,” she added.
“As we have repeatedly stated since the special negotiations track broke down in February 2013, we want to resume talks on the basis of a doable and time-bound agenda,” Deles stressed. (details C/O Manila Standard TODAY Joyce Panares)
