Talking while fighting is better than nothing at all —Bayan leader

A militant group on Sunday urged the peace panels of the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front to return to the negotiating table despite the absence of a unilateral ceasefire. 

In a statement, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said "talking while fighting is still better than not talking at all," considering the positive developments made by both parties since the peace talks started in August last year. 

"Previous regimes that abandoned the peace talks also failed to end the insurgency through purely military means," Reyes said. 

"There are many reasons to persevere in the talks even without a ceasefire. For the first time, there are positive developments in the negotiations on socio-economic reforms," he added.

The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP) announced last Wednesday that it has terminated its unilateral ceasefire declaration made in August last year, as it scored the Duterte administration for failing to fulfill its promise to release all political prisoners. 

However, the communist rebels said it would still support the peace negotiations with the government within the framework of The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992.

Last Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he has lifted the government's unilateral ceasefire declaration, urging the Armed Forces to clean their guns and go back to war with the communist rebels. 

On Saturday, Duterte said he is pulling out the government from the peace negotiations with communists, noting the "peace talks will remain canceled unless there is a compelling reason that will benefit the interest of the nation." 

Reyes said there is no more compelling reason to continue the peace talks than the various reforms agreed by the peace panels, who recently concluded the third round of negotiations in Rome, Italy. 

"What could be more compelling than addressing the root causes of the armed conflict through socio-economic reforms? What could be more compelling than political and constitutional  reforms that will empower the people and could possibly even pave the way for federalism?" Reyes said. 

"What could be more compelling than peace based on justice? What could be more compelling than  laying down the foundations for a truly free and developed Philippines?" 

The peace panels of the government and the NDFP were supposed to hold a special meeting in The Netherlands this month to discuss the bilateral ceasefire. 

A bilateral ceasefire is among the agenda of the peace panels in the scheduled resumption of talks this coming April in Oslo, Norway. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/LBG, GMA News