MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte yesterday ruled out a resumption of the stalled peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
As long as the communist rebels do not stop guerrilla attacks, the peace negotiations will remain suspended, he said.
Duterte in May ordered the scrapping of formal peace talks with the communists after the military said fighters from the NPA stepped up offensives in the countryside.
“There will be no talks until you declare a ceasefire, period,” he said.
Duterte gave two Cabinet positions to left-wing activists recommended by the CPP when he assumed power last year to show his commitment to ending nearly five decades of conflict with the communists.
However, both appointees were rejected by the Commission on Appointments (CA), which on Wednesday rejected the appointment of agrarian reform secretary Rafael Mariano. His exit came less than a month after the CA ousted Judy Taguiwalo, another leftist, as social welfare secretary.
With the peace talks in virtual limbo, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is just awaiting orders to re-arrest and haul back to jail the freed communist consultants to the peace process.
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