By: AFP, Antonio L. Colina IV, and Francis T. Wakefield
President Duterte has cancelled all future peace talks with communist rebels waging one of Asia’s longest insurgencies, in a blow to efforts to end the half century-long conflict.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the cancellation of peace talks with communist rebels waging one of Asia’s longest insurgencies in a blow to efforts to end a half century-long conflict. Duterte, whose government has been in off-and-on peace talks with the rebels, announced the decision on the night of November 21 as he criticised the insurgents over attacks against his security forces adding he would categorise them as a terrorist group. / AFP PHOTO / Noel CELIS
In a speech Tuesday night, Duterte criticized the insurgents over deadly attacks against soldiers and police while threatening to categorize them as a “terrorist” group.
“I have decided to cut talks with the NPAs,” he said, referring to the communists’ 3,800-member armed wing, the New People’s Army.
The Communist Party of the Philippines has been waging an insurgency since 1968 to overthrow a capitalist system that has created one of Asia’s biggest rich-poor divides.
Peace talks to end the conflict, which the military says has claimed 30,000 lives, have been conducted on and off for three decades.
They were revived last year after Duterte – a self-declared socialist – was elected President, with Norway and the Netherlands hosting the negotiations.
“You tell the guys there in the Netherlands: I am no longer available for any official talk. Let’s just go to war,” Duterte added Tuesday, referring to rebel leaders living in European exile.
The Chief Excutive said a rebel ambush in Bukidnon this month had killed a police officer and four-month-old baby.
“If you behave like that and we will go to war – even the civilians are being dragged into this – then we should just stop talking.”
Last month, Duterte also accused the communists of plotting with his other foes to destabilize his rule.
Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza on Wednesday confirmed Duterte’s latest decision in a statement and as a result has cancelled all planned meetings with the CPP.
“Recent tragic and violent incidents all over the country by the communist rebels left the President with no other choice but to arrive at this decision. We take guidance from the President’s recent announcements and declarations,” Dureza said.
Dureza said the cancellation of the planned meetings was “an unfortunate development in our work for peace” because peace talks between the government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines under the previous administration had never reached the fifth round, which was cancelled in May 2017.
