Lacson: Localized negotiations with communist group practical, logic

Senator Panfilo Lacson branded Friday as practical and logical the decision of Malacañang to localize its handling of the insurgency situation in the country as President Rodrigo Duterte formally terminated the peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

“The President is not ending the peace talks, but simply localizing it, which is a more practical and logical strategic shift,” Lacson said in a text message to GMA News Online.

He said different geographical areas in the country have different insurgency situations involving the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army in terms of influence, strength and threats.

He added even security forces claim that only few local political units still feel the threats and presence of the NPA armed regulars.

“Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to address the peace talks at the national level. After all, Joma Sison on many ocassion, has not shown control over the local insurgents still actively operating in the country,” said Lacson, a former National Police chief.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he supports localized peace talks.

“This idea is closer to the ground therefore more possibility of success. Talking with the Higher Ups have not bore fruit. It seems they are not really listened to by heir people in the local level,” Sotto said in a separate text message.

For his part, Senator Gregorio Honasan II, chairman of the Senate committee on peace, unification, and reconciliation, said terminating the talks is a prerogative of the executive “which I presume is driven by a comprehensive long-term peace, unification, and reconciliation policy and strategy.”

On Thursday, Duterte announced the termination of talks between the government and the communist group. 

“I would like to announce that I am no longer entertaining any interventions or maybe persuasions in this democratic state of the Republic of the Philippines. My sense is that you can maybe talk to the next president of this republic one day,” he said.

He earlier terminated the appointments of the five-man government panel led by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Also on Thursday, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said localized panels will be formed following the dissolution of the government panel.

He said sectoral representatives, local government units and the military will make up the panels for localized peace talks with the communists. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News