Duterte ready for ‘marathon’ talks with reds

But Rody hits back at Joma

MANILA, Philippines - After lifting a unilateral ceasefire, President Duterte said yesterday his administration is still ready not just to talk but to hold “marathon” peace negotiations with communist rebels.

Duterte reiterated his desire for the country to achieve lasting peace before he steps down from office.

“I dare them. This is my challenge to them: let us not only talk, let’s have a marathon,” Duterte said. “I hope that we can proceed with the talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).”

Duterte lamented that he is being blamed for calling off the ceasefire even if the government side was the one that sustained casualties.

Despite being criticized by communists for his supposed hasty decision to call off the truce, Duterte said he is still open to a ceasefire.

“I will see if I will also be happy to re-install a ceasefire. Maybe at Christmas time… in the spirit of the season,” the President said.

Duterte, however, lashed back at CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison, who criticized him for calling off the truce.

“Do you believe in them? Whom do you believe in? Me or them?” Duterte added.

He said that for all this fighting for 47 years, the communists never had control of one barangay for one day.

“Me, I was elected by about 16 million of our countrymen for whom I am really thankful. They could not even get to elect a leftist. They always lose,” he added.

Duterte said the peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the communists, would resume as scheduled on Aug. 20.

He believes that the negotiations would not be that easy.

“And so, the best way really is to talk again and find out whether it is reachable or beyond our reach,” he added.  

Duterte declared a ceasefire with the communists during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 25. The truce was meant to support the resumption of peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway.

The President, however, called off the ceasefire Saturday night after the NDF failed to declare its own truce before 5 p.m. of July 30, the deadline he set.

Duterte asked the communists to implement a truce after communist guerrillas ambushed government militiamen in Davao del Norte last July 27, two days after he announced the ceasefire. The attack left one militiaman dead and four others wounded.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) debunked claims of the New People’s Army (NPA) that the rebels merely retaliated against the militiamen, who were allegedly involved in offensive operations against insurgents.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the militiamen or CAFGUs were on their way back to camp when they were attacked by the enemy.

NPA rebels ambushed the CAFGUs in Barangay Gupitan in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

Padilla cited another incident in Agusan del Sur where NPA rebels ambushed another group of government troops.

He said the AFP would continue the offensive against communist rebels after Duterte withdrew the ceasefire.

The President is also willing to grant amnesty to Sison, his former college professor, and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari.

There is no difference between Sison and Misuari, as far as he is concerned, because both fugitives have waged rebellions based on ideology.

“I am talking to Sison, he is a fugitive,” he said. “They are waging rebellions, okay? It is ideology driven. The redeeming factor there is that you rebel because you want a better life for the people,” Duterte said, providing the contrast between the Moro rebel groups and the Abu Sayyaf.

He noted that rebellion under the Revised Penal Code is penalized up to 12 years, not the maximum penalty.

“These guys, I will consider an amnesty if we are able to talk and agree to a peaceful co-existence,” he said.

Duterte said he is going to Mindanao within 10 days ahead of the resumption of the government negotiations with the NDF in Oslo on Aug. 20 to 27.

According to Duterte, he is planning a trip to Jolo to talk to Misuari.

The President said he is ready to provide safe conduct pass to Misuari and his men who were charged for the Zamboanga siege in 2013 during the Aquino administration.

Peace groups appeal

A peace advocacy group urged the leadership of the CPP-NPA-NDF to resume the stalled peace talks with the Duterte administration. 

Ernesto Alcanzare, lead organizer of Yes for Peace-Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan, Kaunlaran at Kasaganahan, explained that almost five decades of armed struggle being waged by the CPP-NPA have cost the Filipinos billions of pesos worth of human and material resources. 

He said government resources could be allocated to address the roots of the problems the rebels seek to solve. 

Alcanzare said his group is urging the CPP-NPA to go back to the negotiating table and participate in the peace talks, stop their armed struggle and conduct the peace talks in the country instead of abroad. 

The militant peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) yesterday warned that the ceasefire issue could be prejudicial to the peace talks, and appealed to Duterte not to use the truce as a precondition for negotiations.

Duterte should learn from past administrations that used and abused the ceasefire issue as a precondition to peace talks, said KMP secretary-general Antonio Flores. With Ramon Efren Lazaro, Jose Rodel Clapano, Rhodina Villanueva, Christina Mendez, Cecille Suerte Felipe