MANILA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The incoming administration of Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and the leftist rebel group will hold "preliminary talks" by middle of June to set the tone for the resumption of the 5-year stalled formal peace process, rebel officials said Thursday.
Fidel Agcaoili, National Democratic Front chair on human rights committee, said their group will meet with the incoming peace officials of the Duterte government led by Jesus Dureza in Norway, the third party facilitator in the peace talks.
"One of the things to be discussed (in the preliminary talks) is the release of political prisoners," he said.
There are 543 consultants and members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front who have been languishing in jails, he said.
Jose Maria Sison, founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines, told Manila-based journalists via Skype, that they would negotiate for an indefinite ceasefire with the government after the release of the political prisoners.
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