(Eagle News)–The Palace on Thursday, Jan. 17, denied the claim of Movie and Television Review and Classification Board member Avelino Andal that he was asked by President Rodrigo Duterte to conduct backchannel talks with the Communist rebels.
In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said President Duterte himself had denied ever authorizing Andal for such.
“Baka (Andal) misunderstood the conversation. I can’t blame him,” Panelo said.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana denied Duterte had made such an order.
The President terminated peace talks with the Communist rebels in 2017, citing what he said were their atrocities that included the killing of a baby.
