MANILA – Militant group Bayan Muna expressed its dismay over the delay of the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF).
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza announced on Thursday that President Rodrigo Duterte instructed the government peace panel not to proceed with peace talks supposedly on June 28.
According to Dureza, Duterte wants more public consultations before the peace talks.
“I think that the issues raised by Sec. Dureza can be addressed at the same time that the peace talks are ongoing,” said Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list).
Zarate added that the issues “should not be used as stumbling blocks or preconditions for the resumption of the negotiations.”
“The longer it takes for the talks to restart, the peace spoilers and saboteurs would also have a longer time to sabotage the process,” said Zarate. “The Filipino people have long supported the peace talks for a just and lasting peace.”
He stressed that addressing the “root causes of the armed conflict like landlessness, oppression and exploitation, among others, will certainly get the continued support of the majority of Filipinos.”
“Resume the talks now. It is only those who benefit and profit from the current inequitable and unjust system will not support the peace talks and will do all they can to sabotage it,” Zarate said./PN
