(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 14, said talks with Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines, may resume in July.
“Yung kay Sison, maybe July. I will invite him for 60 days,” Duterte said during oath-taking ceremonies of newly elected barangay chiefs in Calabarzon in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
The President made the statement minutes after Peace Secretary Jesus Dureza announced the June 28 date Sison said the negotiations between the government and the Communist rebels would resume would not push through.
Dureza said the decision of the Philippine government was to allow it to “engage the public” beforehand.
“I am a worker of government who promised you I will do everything, baka sakali we can attain the peace that we need,” Duterte said.
Duterte scrapped peace negotiations with the Communist rebels last year.
This was following what he said were the rebels’ attacks against soldiers despite a ceasefire in place at that time.
Later, though, Duterte ordered his officials to work toward the resumption of peace talks, saying peace deserved another chance.
In making the announcement of the supposed June 28 resumption of peace talks on Wednesday, June 13, Sison said back-channel negotiations had been successful, with both sides agreeing as well to a “stand down agreement.”
Sison said the preliminary ceasefire was slated to start on June 21.