NPAs in Southern Tagalog reject localized peace talks

The New People's Army (NPA) in the Southern Tagalog region on Wednesday rejected the Duterte administration's plan to conduct localized peace talks.

"Ang inilalakong lokalisadong usapang pangkapayapaan ng rehimeng US-Duterte at mga mapandigmang heneral ng AFP at PNP ay isang pangangarap ng gising at hindi kailanman magaganap," Jaime Padilla, spokesperson of Melito Glor Command, said in a press statement.

"Hindi katangap-tangap ang ganitong proposal ng gubyernong Duterte dahil may mga naunang kasunduan sa pagitan ng Government of the Republic of the Philippines at National Democratic Front of the Philippines tulad ng The Hague Declaration of September 1, 1992 at Breukelen Joint Statement of June 14, 1994 at iba pang mga naunang kasunduan para sa pagkakamit ng isang tunay at makatarungang kapayapaan," Padilla added.

Padilla stated that localized peace negotiations would not solve the problems between the government and the communist groups: "Hindi rin kayang lutasin ng ganitong iskema ang malaon at lumalalang kahirapan sa bansa."

It was previously mentioned by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque that local government units may pursue localized peace negotiations with rebels provided that "they do not concede any aspect of governance and pursuant to guidelines to be agreed upon by the Cabinet cluster on security."

Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte would issue an executive order that will provide the guidelines for the localized peace talks with communist rebels.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has rebuked this proposal of the government, calling it as "a sham, a waste of people’s money, and doomed to fail. —Anna Felicia Bajo/NB, GMA News