Palace to Joma: Stop daydreaming, lest get a nightmare to cut bourgeoisie lifestyle

Malacañang on Sunday called on Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria "Joma" Sison to "wake up from his daydreaming" as he may get a nightmare which may "cut short his bourgeoisie lifestyle."

In an emailed statement, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo slammed Sison for saying that the recent offer of President Rodrigo Duterte to reopen the stalled peace talks was "insulting."

"He claims that they cannot stop the extortion activities because its stoppage will deprive the 'people’s government of financial resources for administration and social programs.' Oh... they have a government?" said Panelo.

"The armchair illusory rebel chieftain must be running berserk with his imagination. No wonder his ground forces no longer follow him. He has to wake up from his daydreaming lest he gets a nightmare that will cut short his bourgeoisie lifestyle in The Netherlands," he added.

This comes as Sison last week found Duterte's offer as an "insult" after the President on Friday opened the possibility of resuming peace negotiations, on the condition that the group stops its collection of revolutionary taxes.

In his statement on Sunday, Panelo again called on rebel forces, along with Sison, to surrender and rejoin society.

"It is time to rejoin society.  There is nothing dishonourable in accepting defeat. There is another path for change other than armed struggle," he said.

"Filipinos cannot continue killing Filipinos. Sison must step down from his ivory tower and extend his hands for peace, for his own sake, for his followers, for the Filipino people, for his country he loves so well," added Panelo.

Duterte last week already urged communist rebels to surrender and come in peace, as he claimed he was ready to spend for peace.

"Let him (Sison) join the ranks of heroic men and women who courageously fought to liberate their country from oppression and enslavement and begin to contribute his intellect and expertise in peaceful dialogues and productive undertakings, for the betterment and progress of the people that moved and inspired him to relentlessly tread the road of revolutionary struggle," said Panelo.

"To miss this golden opportunity will only reduce him to a historical footnote and thrown him into the dustbin of history. That will be tragic and such a waste," he elaborated. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/KG, GMA News