CPP rejects Duterte’s ultimatum on use of landmines

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has rejected President Rodrigo Duterte's demand that the New People's Army stop the use of landmines.

In a statement, the group accused Duterte of deflecting the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the CPP, pointing out that Duterte hasn't fulfilled his promise to release political prisoners.

"By setting such an ultimatum, after having yet to fulfill his own promise to release NDFP consultants and political prisoners, smacks of a poorly-crafted deflectionary tactic, with the aim of blaming the revolutionary forces for the repeated postponement of peace talks," the CPP said, according to a report on GMA News' Unang Balita.

The party also slammed Duterte for being "cantankerous," while expressing support for the peace talks.

"He is showing himself to be more and more cantankerous, inventing one reason after another to attack the CPP and NPA instead of finding ways to push forwards peace negotiations," it said.

Duterte criticized communist insurgents for using landmines after visiting Camp Panacan in Davao City for the wake of four soldiers killed in clashes with the New People's Army (NPA).

If the NPA continued to use mines, Duterte said he would instruct Philippine security forces to respond in kind.

He then threatened to end the peace talks with rebels if the use of landmines are not included in the negotiations.

The communist rebels have defended their use of landmines, saying command-detonated landmines was not prohibited by the Geneva Convention. —Jessica Bartolome/NB, GMA News