(Eagle News) — Jose Maria Sison, founding chair of the Communist Party of the Philippines, clarified on Friday, June 29, that the peace talks between his group and the government were not terminated.
In a statement posted in the National Democratic Front of the Philippines website, Sison said he “can only make the pertinent advice” to the National Council of the NDFP in his capacity as chief political consultant.
He said “only the (NC) of the NDFP can make the decision to suspend, cancel or terminate the peace negotiations with (the government).”
“I let (President Rodrigo) Duterte have the singular dishonor of repeatedly terminating the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations within so short a time. As I have repeatedly pointed out, Duterte is not interested in the peace negotiations but in scapegoating the CPP and NPA for the purpose of declaring martial law nationwide or a state of emergency in his mad drive to establish a fascist dictatorship under the guise of charter change to federalism,” he said.
“In this regard, I have observed that it would be easier to cause the ouster of Duterte than to expect a just and honorable peace agreement with GRP under his command,” he added.
Peace talks were supposed to resume on June 28 in Norway, but the President asked for more time, citing the need for more consultations.
The government also suspended backchannel talks with the Communist rebels.