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Friday, March 29, 2024

DND fears collapse of peace gab

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DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday the resumption of hostilities between the military and the communist rebels was inevitable once the peace talks collapsed.

“They are asking for so many things that the President doesn’t want to give them,” Lorenzana told reporters.

“There is going to be war again when the talks collapse. That’s what the President has been saying and I’m just repeating.”

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

Duterte had earlier said he might declare an amnesty for all communist rebels, especially those in jail for a string of criminal offenses, to give way to lasting peace. 

This had led to the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the government and by the communists, but the declaration of a bilateral ceasefire still has to take place. 

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The communists want the release of more than 400 alleged political prisoners, but Lorenzana says Duterte is still studying whom to release and whom to keep in jail.

Still, Duterte has already ordered the release of dozens of communist rebels. 

Lorenzana said the  peace talks between the government and the NDF would resume next week in Rome, and that it could lead to the signing of a  bilateral ceasefire.

“What they are going to accomplish in Rome is discuss the terms of the bilateral ceasefire agreement. That’s why yesterday some of my people went to the OPAPP Office of the [Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process),” Lorenzana said.

He said OPAPP Secretary Jesus Dureza had sought the opinion of Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Eduardo Ano.

“They [OPAPP] asked us what inputs do we want to be placed into this agreement. The process will take a little bit longer, but hopefully they will be able to agree on this bilateral ceasefire agreement,” Lorenzana said.

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