Says both parties should comply with “past mutual binding commitments and agreements” instead
(Eagle News) — While he welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s openness to the resumption of peace talks, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate said on Wednesday that both the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the government should not “set preconditions.”
Zarate said in a statement that it would be “best” if the two parties would just comply with “past mutual binding commitments and agreements” instead.
For this, Zarate suggested a “joint ceasefire” to address what he said were the concerns of both parties and of the people “for a just and lasting peace.”
The lawmaker, who was one of 61 who signed a House resolution urging Duterte to resume the negotiations, said the government and the communist rebels “can also go for the simultaneous signing of the Comprehensive Agreement of Social and Economic Reforms (CASER).”
The President terminated peace talks with the communists last year, and labeled them as terrorists.
Apparently changing his tune, Duterte said on Tuesday that the government would resume talks if the rebels stopped committing what he said were atrocities that include the collection of revolutionary taxes, and agreed to a ceasefire.
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison said the NDFP was open and ready to resume peace talks, but at the same time reminded the government of what he said was its promise to free all political prisoners.
