The presidential peace office is not inclined to talk peace again at the national level with the Reds, citing the communist leaders鈥� insincerity.
The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru), previously the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, prefers continuing 鈥減eace engagements鈥� with local leaders and fighters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People鈥檚 Army (CPP-NPA).
In a statement late Monday, Wilben Mayor, spokesperson for the Opapru, said the office 鈥渞espects the position of the presidential candidates with regard to the possible resumption of peace talks with the CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).鈥�
He was referring to the stand of four presidential candidates鈥擲enators Manny Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson, Vice President Leni Robredo and Manila Mayor Francisco 鈥淚sko Moreno鈥� Domagoso鈥攖o revive peace talks with the communist rebels should they win.
But he pointed out that President Duterte terminated the talks in 2017 because of the CPP-NPA-NDFP鈥檚 鈥渋nsincerity and lack of commitment.鈥�
鈥淲hile the group鈥檚 leaders were talking peace with the national government, their men were attacking government forces,鈥� he said.
Lacson agrees that the government can best deal with the country鈥檚 decades-long insurgency with localized peace talks. INQ