MANILA, Philippines — The New People’s Army should stop staging attacks against government forces as he questioned the sincerity of the communist rebels in the resumption of the peace talks.

“Siyempre ayaw natin iyon. Iyong mga NPAs kung gusto talaga nilang makipag-usap eh dapat tigilan na nila iyong ginagawa nila. Kasi when you do that, your sincerity is in question with respect to peace talks,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

[Of course, we don’t like that. The NPA rebels, if they really want to talk, should stop what they’re doing. When you do that, your sincerity is in question with respect to peace talks.]

Three people were killed, including a three-year-old boy, after the alleged attack of the New People’s Army (NPA) last Friday, Dec. 13.

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Duterte has ordered Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to negotiate with the Jose Maria Sison, founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), for the resumption of the peace talks.

Panelo could immediately say the effect of the latest attack on the possible resumption of peace talks.

“Lets see,” he said.

Duterte terminated the peace talks with the communist guerillas in November 2017 after a series of attacks by the rebels against state forces.

/atm