ILOILO CITY — President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s order to work on the resumption of the peace talks will be the government’s last attempt to settle issues with communist rebels, Secretary Jesus Dureza, the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, said here Thursday afternoon.
Dureza warned that the President might finally decide to cut-off the peace negotiations if more attacks would be staged.
“If there will still be some issues along the way, then let us forget all these totally. It is like the last attempt of the President to bring peace in the land,” he said.
“Hopefully, with that instruction, we can already start bridging again, rebuilding mutual trust so that we can move forward in the peace process,” he added.
The President ordered Dureza during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting to work on the resumption of the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army, and National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Duterte also made instructions to forge a ceasefire agreement to stop mutual attacks and fighting while the talks are underway.
The peace adviser said there was an immediate positive response from the founder of the CPP, Jose Maria Sison, adding that the chief also came up with a welcoming statement.
“So, the President felt that this may be another opportunity but he said we will resume but this will be our last chance,” he said.
Dureza said there is no timeline on the resumption of talks but he expressed hope that the “environment will also be conducive” and the events ahead will be “very positive”.
“I will tell you, if there will be more attacks that will happen after he indicated that he (President Duterte) wants to resume then the decision might be different already. So, we would like to see reciprocity on the other side,” he said.
“Although there is no ceasefire agreement yet to really firm up a favorable atmosphere for the resumption but we hope that there will be no major incident that will again make the President finally decide to totally cut-off with finality the peace negotiations,” he added.
Dureza said although the President has not set the terms and conditions, he would want a stop to the attacks and burning of equipment of those who do not want to pay the revolutionary tax, as well as a ceasefire.
“These are not pre-conditions. These are of course the wish of a President who feels that (he) would like to further take the extra mile towards peace and he hopes that the other side will also respond accordingly,” he added.
It was last year when President Duterte terminated the peace negotiations with the communist rebels.
Dureza said that the government already reached the “farthest in the time of our negotiation” under the President.
Dureza was here on Thursday upon the invitation of the town of Guimbal to grace the “Re-enactment of the Moro Raids”, one of the highlights of the five-day Bantayan Festival. (PNA)
