Joma Sison welcomes Gina Lopez’s initiative to work with Reds

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison on Thursday welcomed Environment Secretary Gina Lopez's proposed collaboration for peace and development with New People's Army (NPA).

"As Chief Political Consultant of the NDFP, I declare the following: The desire of Gina Lopez to work with the NPA for peace and development is welcome by the NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines)," Sison wrote in his Facebook post.

"It is directly related to the environment, agrarian reform and rural development now being negotiated under the substantive item: Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER)," he added.

Sison also said that it would be "fine" if Lopez would join the fifth round of formal talks.

Lopez said she would work with the communist rebels in Agusan province to establish an Ecological, Economic and Educational (E3) zone in communities around mining sites.

"I already asked the President if I can work with the NPA. We can't market the place if there's fighting ... We might have a situation where miners work with the NPA," Lopez said during the Asia CEO forum at Manila Marriott Hotel.

"They just really want to get people out of poverty. They’re really not bad people. The reason that they’re fighting is because they’re not happy with the government," she said. —NB, GMA News