MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV expressed doubt yesterday the sincerity of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) in its overtures to renew peace talks with the government.
Trillanes said any move to initiate peace negotiations is laudable but warned the administration that the issue could be used by leftist groups as leverage to release political prisoners.
“That’s the prerogative of the Aquino administration. Any initiative to gain is welcome,” he said in a radio interview.
Trillanes, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense, stressed that mutual trust is the foundation of peace.
“But if there is mutual distrust, that will pose a big problem. They will just be using each other for tactical maneuvering,” he said.
Top New People’s Army (NPA) leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamson are currently detained at Camp Crame, and the senator suspects their comrades will surely ask for their release.
Trillanes also doubted whether the peace initiative could still be achieved during the present administration.
“Will there be a final resolution before the term of President Aquino?” he asked, adding that this is farfetched.
He also frowned at reports that CPP founder Jose Maria Sison is seeking temporary passes for 500 consultants as part of confidence-building measures.
Trillanes lamented that after being given safe conduct pass, the freed political detainees only return to the mountains and again kill soldiers.
“If you were the soldier and this was done to you time and time again… will you now take his (Sison’s) word for it?” he asked in Filipino.
One has to learn and review the history of the CPP leadership during past talks to be able to really attain peace at this time, he added.
Trillanes also cautioned the Aquino administration to determine whether the CPP is just launching a propaganda war.