MANILA, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The communist rebels have urged Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to free more prisoners as peace talks between the government and the rebels resume this week in Oslo, Norway to end Asia's longest communist insurgency, the rebels said in a statement on Monday.
The rebels said they are considering to match the indefinite ceasefire declared by Duterte if the government will release five more detained rebel leaders who will act as "consultants" in the talks plus the 520 other "political prisoners" who continue to languish in jails.
The rebels are also demanding the"immediate release" of a male peasant leader in Quezon province who was arrested on Aug. 12 and a female"missionary" who was arrested on Friday in Cebu City.
But Duterte in a news conference early Sunday said he is not inclined to release more prisoners, saying he had already released 20 including the two highest-ranking rebel leaders who are already in Oslo. "Now if I will release all the prisoners, the (rebels) already in custody, then there's no point negotiating. I will be left with no more cards."
The government declared after midnight on Sunday an indefinite ceasefire to pave the way for the Oslo talks.
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