[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
[/av_textblock]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Drilon: Du30 should leave ‘a little opening’ for peace ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
ILOILO City – Ilonggo senator Franklin Drilon hoped the peace talks between the government and the communists would resume.
Drilon, who was here Friday last week, made the statement hours before the New People’s Army (NPA) ambushed a team of policemen of the Regional Mobile Forces Battalion – formerly the Regional Public Safety Battalion – of the Police Regional Office 6 in Maasin, Iloilo.
President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled the peace negotiations on Nov. 22 citing recent “tragic and violent incidents all over the country committed by the communist rebels.”
“I just wish he leaves a little opening so that there could be a chance in the future for the peace process to continue,” said Drilon.
But Drilon said he understood the President’s position.
“His decision…I assumed is based on intelligence information,” he said.
On Nov. 18, the President said he was planning to declare the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, a terrorist group.
In Panay Island, the NPA has been stepping up their offensives lately.
Before the ambush in Maasin town on Nov. 24 that killed one policeman and injured 12 others, the rebels ambushed cops in Sibalom, Antique on Nov. 22. Four were wounded.
“We cannot continue with this kind of environment,” said Drilon.
The President had repeatedly lambasted the communist rebels for continuously attacking state troops and making unreasonable demands in the peace negotiations.
Among the demands the communist leadership made was the release of all political prisoners prior to the peace talks.
Duterte also cited the NPA ambush of a police vehicle in the village of Tikalaan, Talakag town, Bukidnon on Nov. 9 which resulted in the death of a four-month old infant./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
