MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has changed his tune again in terms of attaining lasting peace as he called for an “immediate ceasefire” with the New People’s Army (NPA).
In a speech in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan on Tuesday night, Duterte renewed his call on Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison to come home from Utrecht in the Netherlands.
“‘Yung mga NPA, gusto talaga ninyo ng usapang matino. Immediate ceasefire. Walang magdala ng armas sa kampo ninyo sa labas. Walang taxation. Walang pagsunog,” Duterte said.
He added: “Umuwi ka dito, Sison. Akong bahala sa ‘yo. Hindi ako traydor na tao. I give you my word of honor, mag-usap tayo. Pero nothing about coalition government. You can never have even an iota of the sovereign power of the Republic of the Philippines.”
Duterte’s statement came a month after he terminated the peace talks with the Reds and also terminated the appointments of the five-man government negotiating panel, led by Labor secretary Silvestre Bello III.
When Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016, hopes are high for the end of communist insurgency in the Philippines due to his close ties with Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison.
The peace negotiations between the Philippine government and communist rebels collapsed after Duterte signed Proclamation No. 360 terminating peace talks with the CPP-NPA.
In September last year, Duterte said the communist insurgency may be over by the second quarter of 2019 following the surrendering of NPA members and fall of several guerilla fronts in Mindanao as indicators./PN
