(Eagle News)—Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison on Tuesday, Dec. 18, welcomed Bong Go’s pronouncement President Rodrigo Duterte was still interested in pursuing peace talks with the Communist rebels.
He said that if Go indeed “means what he says, he should advise Duterte to allow his negotiating panel to engage in informal talks to prepare for formal talks.”
He said the peace talks should address the roots of the armed conflict.
Sison issued the statement after Go, who is close to the President, called on the New People’s Army to trust Duterte.
“There is no other leader like him who will sincerely talk peace with you,” Go said last week.
Earlier, Sison also welcomed Rep. Gary Alejano’s statement of support for the resumption of peace talks, saying his position was “consonant with the continuing policy of the (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) to be open to peace negotiations for the sake of the Filipino people.”
Duterte ended peace talks with the Communist rebels last year, after he accused them of committing atrocities that included the killing of a baby.
