President Rodrigo Duterte hosted a dinner at the Malacañang Palace for communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon along with other communist rebels on Monday, September 26. The Tiamzon couple are the leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NDFP) who have recently been released as part of peace negotiations.
Duterte said that this dinner would hopefully be the start of peace talks with the communist leaders which were delayed during former President Benigno Aquino III’s term. He further stated that he is hoping that peace would be pursued not only in Mindanao but in the entire country during his 6-year term.
“I have the entire communist hierarchy wanted to talk to me in Davao but I was short of time so I said, we can do it here. So this would really be the first time that the enemies of the state are here for – it’s part of what you would call civility,” the president side-noted in a speech he delivered during the oath taking of officers of the Malacañang press groups.
After the dinner, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said on Tuesday that the communist rebels, who are part of the NDF peace panel, thanked Duterte for jumpstarting the peace process.
“It was like a meet and greet. Basically, they were saying thank you for releasing the consultants. They also mentioned the willingness to cooperate in terms of the socio-political reforms of the President as long as they are both in agreement to what was discussed,” Abella said.
Abella added that the NDF peace panel gave the assurance that the peace talks will continue, eliminating the possibility of a cancellation in the future.
The second round of peace talks will be held on October 6 to 10 at the Holmenfjord Hotel in Oslo, Norway, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Talks (OPPAP).
Sources: (gmanetwork.com, sunstar.com, newsinfo.inquirer.net)
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