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Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza revealed on Wednesday evening (April 4) the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to lay the groundwork for the resumption of the talks with the communist rebels paving the way for yet another "last chance" for peace.
Dureza said in a statement released by his office last night that President Duterte has directed during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday "to work on the resumption of peace talks with the CPP/NPA/NDF with clear instructions on the importance of forging a ceasefire agreement to stop mutual attacks and fighting while talks are underway."
“Let’s give this another last chance,” Dureza quoted the President as saying. "He also committed to provide support, if necessary, in replacement of the 'revolutionary tax' that he asked be stopped."
The statement came at the heels of President Rodrigo R. Duterte's declaration that he is ready to resume peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) provided that the New People’s Army (NPA) stops its extortion activities and attacks.
“If you really want to make it happen, then you stop immediately. You and I, let’s have ceasefire. No single shot, not even firecracker and I will be happy,” Duterte said in a speech during the inauguration of Lisap Bridge project in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro on Tuesday (April 3).
Duterte terminated the peace talks in November last year, citing the communist rebels’ failure to show sincerity and commitment to pursue genuine and meaningful peaceful negotiations.
The President said he will subsidize the peace process but insisted he cannot grant CPP founder Joma Sison’s demand for a coalition government.
“So this, I first spoke this since Sison is always mentioning about the peace process. I am ready. First thing is we should stop killing each other. Then if we can have peace; and if you do not have the money, government will subsidize it,” Duterte said.
“It's about time that you stop scratching and I am ready. I said we first go to the fundamentals minus a coalition government,” he added.
He said as Filipinos, NPA rebels and government troops should not fight and kill each other.
“I said if you want peace, you have to invest money in peace. So we can talk. Stop the revolutionary government. Do not burn in the name of taxation because businessmen are suffering,” the President said.
Duterte has even encouraged the communist rebels to form a political party and “I will join you”.
“The progress of the nation is really being pushed down. It’s about time. Fifty years in the making. You want another 50 years of bloodshed? That’s the problem,” the President said.
“I want to (achieve) peace in my time. Actually, I’m not angry with you. I understand you. So you support me,” he added.
Duterte also called anew on NPA rebels to lay down their arms as he reiterated his administration’s commitment to support those who will surrender to the government.
More than 600 NPA returnees went to Malacañang in three batches and had dinner with Duterte last month.
The President had promised to provide livelihood trainings to former NPA rebels.
Meantime, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana believes that for any peace negotiations with the rebels to push through, a bilateral ceasefire between the government and New People's Army (NPA) forces must take effect.
"Dapat eh walang galawan (there must be no movements), ang (the) ceasefire na gusto namin kaakibat na dyan yung hindi na sila mangungolekta ng kanilang ang tawag nila, (the ceasefire that we want is that they will stop collecting what they call as) revolutionary tax pero ang sabi ko extortion lang yan e (but I consider that as mere extortion), tapos (and then) no attacking government troops, hindi sila mangingidnap ng mga kung sinu-sino gusto nilang kidnapin mga civilian o sundalo at saka hindi na sila mag-aatake ng mga pwersa natin, pulis (they will not kidnap anybody, whoever they want to kidnap, whether civilian or soldier and they won't attack our forces or policemen) and no more expansion of influenced areas nila, kasi yun ang ginagawa nila nung ceasefire nung nakaraan eh (because that was what they did during the last ceasefire), from September to February," he added.
Another mechanism the DND chief wants in place is to check and determine forces violating the truce.
The DND chief also reiterated that the NPAs are the primary cause of underdevelopment in the countryside due to unprovoked attacks against engineering contractors.
"They have been the cause of some underdevelopment in the countryside because of their presence there, tinatakot nila yung mga (they are threatening the) contractors, kinukutongan nila (they are extorting money from them), sinusunog nila yung mga (they are burning their) equipment so they are the threat actually, kung wala sila matagal na tayong umangat eh (without them, we would have been able to achieve development)," Lorenzana stressed.
However, should the NPA show good faith in the peace talks, the DND chief said that he is willing to drop proposals to tag them as terror organization.
"Tingnan natin kung ano yung magiging (Let's see what will be the) result nitong (of these) talks about resuming the peace talks kasi kung makikipag-usap tayo sa kanila e hindi naman siguro makatarungan na (because if we will talk to them, I don't think it's right that) we will tag them as terrorist, sa akin ha (that's my opinion)," Lorenzana stressed.