PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has called on Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison to return home and resume the peace negotiations with the government within 60 days.
“I created a small window”•60 days. My proposal to Sison, I will not go there. We’re fighting for the Philippines, so you come here,” Duterte said during the 24th National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines’ Annual Convention in Legazpi City on Saturday night.
He made the statement even as soldiers from the 17th Infantry Battalion’s Joint Task Force Tala clashed with an estimated 30 New People’s Army rebels and forced them to retreat to Rizal, Cagayan, on Saturday morning.
Northern Luzon Command spokesman Lt. Col. Isagani Nato said the encounter took place around 6:30 a.m. in Sitio Tallat in Barangay Masi.
The firefight lasted about 45 minutes and resulted in the retreat of the rebels who suffered an undetermined number of casualties.
Sison went into exile in The Netherlands in 1986.
Recently, Sison expressed openness and readiness to resume the peace negotiations that Duterte canceled in November last year due to the series of attacks by the New People’s Army on civilians and government troops.
In response, Duterte said he was ready to give the communist rebels another chance to resume the peace talks.
He said the rebels could set up a camp where he could talk to them “minus arms.”
“I will pay for your [Sison’] fare, billeting and food. And your guerrilla front, you stay in one place, set up a camp,” Duterte said.
“Bring your arms inside the camp, you tell us where you are, you can go out of the camp minus the arms.”
Duterte said he would give Sison the complete freedom to move and order the military and the police to “be nice to you.”
“Take advantage of that 60 days. If it succeeds, then I would like to thank God first and the Filipino people and the military and the police for their understanding,” Duterte said.
He said he could not fight the communist rebels forever, “same with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.
“But the threat of terrorism remains very high. We are not fighting against our Moro brothers and sisters.”
Duterte said his administration was “well on its way” toward eliminating the social ills that prevent the country’s march toward progress.
“I seek your proactive participation in nation-building by upholding peace and order, preserving national security and eliminating the misfits in our society,” Duterte said. PNA