(Eagle News) — Communist rebels denied they were demanding for a coalition government, as claimed by the government.
National Democratic Front of the Philippines chief peace negotiator Fidel Agcaoili issued the statement after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said a review of pacts signed with the rebels showed ““it lays down the foundation of power sharing towards coalition government.”
Apart from Lorenzana, Eduardo Año, officer in charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government; and Harry Roque, presidential spokesperson; lashed out at Jose Maria Sison, NDFP chief consultant, after he said President Rodrigo Duterte’s ouster was “highly probable.”
According to Agcaoili, it was Alexander Padilla, chief peace negotiator during the administration of then-President Benigno Aquino III, who “raised the spectre of a coalition government.”
“So, an allegedly anti-Aquino regime has adopted the false narrative of its arch enemy to waylay the peace talks,” Agcaoili said.
“At any rate, it looks like the orchestrated lies and attacks of Lorenzana, Año and Roque against Prof. Sison have sounded the death knell on the peace talks under the Duterte regime. The peace spoilers seem to have won the day!” Agcaoili added.
The government suspended peace talks, which were supposed to resume on June 28, citing the need to consult the public beforehand.