Sison’s refusal to return to PHL shows insincerity — Panelo

Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison’s refusal to return to the Philippines to talk with President Rodrigo Duterte shows his insincerity, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Friday.

“His (Sison) refusal to have a personal dialogue with his former student in the Philippines betrays his insincerity,” Panelo said in a statement.          

He reiterated Duterte’s dare for Sison to come to the country for a one-on-one meeting to forge a lasting peace agreement.

“PRRD (Duterte’s initials) guarantees that he (Sison) will not be arrested upon his arrival and after the meeting he can freely leave  for Netherlands when he so desires,” he said.

Sison said Thursday that he is willing to talk provided that it will be done after the formal resumption of the peace talks and in a country near the Philippines.

He said he will let the government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines negotiating panels “to work this out first in a neutral venue abroad for the benefit of the people, especially with regard to genuine land reform and national industrialization.”

Panelo also belied the statement of Sison saying the “Duterte regime goes downhill as revolutionary movement rises,” stressing such is proof of the communist leader’s hallucination.

“It is his movement that is on downhill while the Duterte presidency keeps on rising and the surge in his popularity and trust rating is a resounding proof,” he said. 

Also on Friday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that while he supports Duterte’s preference to hold a one-on-one talk with Sison, he doesn’t the sincerity of those on the other side of the fence.

“Kung totoong sinsero itong si Sison... eh makinig siya kay Presidente na umuwi rito para makipag usap,” Lorenzana said.

“Ang ginawa niya, ang dami niyang kundisyon. Dapat pag mag-usap, walang kundisyon.” — RSJ, GMA News