Dureza: Peace process still alive even with cancelled 5th round of talks

The peace process with communist rebels continues to be on track despite the government's decision to back out from the fifth round of talks last month, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said on Tuesday.

"Although yung fifth round hindi natuloy, the peace process is still alive. Although it may have suffered some setbacks but you know yung trabaho naman namin sa OPAPP is to continue pursuing peace," Dureza said on News To Go.

"'Yung ibang mga sector ng departamento ng gobyerno, they also have to do their mandate...there is an orchestra playing with a baton being handled alone by President [Rodrigo] Duterte," he added.

The government withdrew from the fifth round of talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF) in the Netherlands last May after the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) ordered the New People's Army, its armed wing, to intensify attacks in reaction to the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

Dureza earlier said that the decision not to participate was due to a lack of an "enabling environment conducive to peace negotiations."

In the interview, Dureza said the cancellation of the fifth round of formal talks did not translate to the end of peace talks.

"Aba kung may patutunguhan, marami pa, hindi naman end of the road ito eh. We have gone this far already. Ito nga yung fifth round na hindi natuloy. Never have we reached this particular stage in the past so there is some effort," Dureza said.

"But wag niyo namang simplehin lang ang sitwasyon dahil working for peace is something that you cannot achieve at the flick of your finger or at one meeting," he added.

Dureza said that talking peace was a "long process," adding that setbacks along the way were part of it.

"It is a long process. This might be one of the setbacks but tayo naman you heard the president earlier kanina, sinabi niya na we'd like to pursue peace, not peace of the dead but peace of the living," Dureza said.

"Ibig sabihin, wag na tayong magpatayan, ayusin na natin habang buhay pa tayo. That is the direction that we are taking in accordance with the guidance of the President. May mga humps and bumps nga along the way di ba," he added. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/NB, GMA News