Peace talks can’t simply resume due to existing termination order —Esperon

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Sunday said the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and communist rebels cannot simply resume considering the existence of a presidential proclamation terminating the peace talks.

Esperon made the remark after it was reported that the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) are holding back-channel efforts to resume the negotiations.

In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, Esperon, who serves as vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said they were actually surprised about the report that there are supposed steps being taken to resume the peace talks.

"Ang pagkaalam namin ay meron nang presidential proclamation ang ating Pangulo patungkol dito sa termination ng peace talks na nakasaad sa Presidential Proclamation 360 noong November 23, 2017," he said.

In signing the said proclamation, Duterte claimed that the communist rebels continued to engage in "acts of violence and hostilities" despite the ongoing peace talks at that time.

Esperon even pointed out that following the issuance of Presidential Proclamation 360, the President issued another order declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army as "terrorist organizations."

"So mahirap isipin na basta na lang biglang magsimula ulit ang peace talks," he said. "Bawiin muna ng Pangulo yun [proclamation]."

Nevertheless, Esperon said the President is not entirely closing the doors to the resumption of the peace talks.

"Ang ating Pangulo, matagal na niyang sinasabi na kung kinakailangan talagang magkaroon ng usaping pangkapayapaan, sabi niya bilang ama ng bayan ay mas gusto ko yung mag-uusap kesa naman ang Pilipino ay pinapatay ng kapwa Pilipino o nag-aaway kaya pwede pa rin magkaroon ng peace talks," he said.

"Ngunit palagay namin ay wala sa panahon dahil merong mga proclamations at meron na ring ginawang ibang framework ang peace talks na ginagawa na ngayon ng NTF-ELCAC," he added.

For now, Esperon said, the government is conducting regionalized but "nationally-orchestrated" negotiations with communist rebels.

"Kung ako ang magbibigay ulit ng recommendation sa President tutal ako ang vice chairman, at 17 ang Cabinet members ng executive committee plus five other agencies... ang common recommendation namin is ituloy natin ang gawain ng NTF-ELCAC," he said. — BM, GMA News