President Rodrigo R. Duterte has once again urged Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison to give a concrete reason for him to decide the resumption of peace talks.
The president underscored this in his speech during the birthday celebration of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano at The Marco Polo Davao on Sunday.
“Jose Maria Sison, give me a good reason to go back to the bargaining table,” he said.
“If there is none or if it is just a repeat of what we had discussed earlier that will not suffice,” Duterte added.
Duterte said he wants more reasons from the CPP that he could be used as an assurance in order not to derail the talks again.
“I need more, I might be greedy but I am greedy simply because I am the worker of the Republic of the Philippines,” he said.
The president reiterated his call to the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender and he will them to have a peaceful new life.
“Iwanan ninyo yan,walang kwenta yan, wala kayong makukuha. Ililibing pa kayo kayo diyan sa gubat (leave fhe group because it is useless, you cannot something on it. Then, you will be just burried in the forest), ” he said.
Duterte said he would provide livelihood and housing to the rebels who will surrender their firearms to the government.
Sison, issued a statement statement earlier, telling that they are ready to resume the peace talks between the government and CPP.
This after Duterte recognized the contribution of the New People’s Army (NPA) in his political career during the opening of Gaisan Grand City Gate last October 19.
