THE leaders of the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) urged President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday to proceed with the peace talks between the government and the communist rebels even without a ceasefire.
In a statement on Sunday, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said the peace talks will still progress even with the lifting of the ceasefire on the part of the communist rebels and the government.
“There are many reasons to persevere in the talks even without a ceasefire. For the first time, there are positive developments in the negotiations on socio-economic reforms,” Reyes said.
Reyes said the past regimes also failed to attain peace by the use of arms alone.
“Talking while fighting is still better than not talking at all. Previous regimes that abandoned the peace talks also failed to end the insurgency through purely military means,” he added.
Duterte on Saturday cancelled the peace talks with the rebels following the New People's Army's (NPA) ceasefire halt earlier in the week. The talks are already in their fourth round.
The death of about six soldiers since the NPA's cancellation of the ceasefire on Wednesday prompted Duterte to abandon the peace talks.
The President said the government will no longer negotiate with the rebels unless there is a compelling reason to do so.
He also urged government negotiators in Rome and the Red leaders -- whom he had given temporary liberty to be able to attend to the peace negotiations -- to go home and face the cases filed against them. (VoxPop Philippines)
