Robredo urges Duterte admin to continue peace talks with Reds

Vice President Leni Robredo urged the government on Thursday to continue its peace negotiations with communist rebels, despite the cancellation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

The JASIG, which was signed by the government of the Philippines and the NDF in February 1995, guarantees safety and immunity to negotiators, consultants, and other personnel joining the peace talks.

“Nakakalungkot yung nangyari kasi major setback ito. Isa sa mga bagay na tingin ko na the government was doing right was to pursue 'yung usapin tungkol sa kapayapaan," said Robredo in a press briefing in Quezon City reception house. 

“Nakakalungkot na just when our hopes were high na may nangyayaring maganda out of the peace talks, nangyari ito,” the Vice President added. 

She remained hopeful that the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) would still find a common ground to pursue the peace talks.

“Hindi naman ako nawawalan ng pag-asa. Tingin ko, ito ay setback lamang... Sana both parties [ay] hindi huminto sa paghahanap pa din ng mga points na paga-agreehan,” Robredo said.

The Vice President said she believes the Duterte administration and the communist rebels could still agree on a lot of matters to help resolve the decades-old conflict between the two.

“May mga umayaw na ipagpatuloy 'yung usapin. 'Yung pagpapakita nito yung pag-withdraw ng ceasefire dahil may mga bagay na hindi pinagkakasunduan," she said.

“Pero sana hindi huminto dito, kasi kung mayroong mga bagay na hindi napagkakasunduan, tingin ko marami pa ring mga puntos na pwedeng mapagkasunduan,” Robredo added.

Robredo said peace talks could still push through even if the respective unilateral ceasefires of both parties had already been aborted.

“Sana ipagpatuloy yung usapin. 'Yung pag-withdraw ng ceasefire from both sides of defense, hindi naman yun ang katapusan. Kahit walang ceasefire pwede pa ring magusap,” Robredo added.

It was the NPA which first decided on February 1 to withdraw its unilateral ceasefire, effective February 10. The Philippine government reciprocated by also lifting its own ceasefire Friday last week, and pulling out of the peace talks the following day.

Over the weekend, President Rodrigo Duterte also announced that he was already considering the CPP-NPA-NDF as a terrorist group. Then on Tuesday, the government canceled its JASIG with the NPA.

On Thursday, Robredo also expressed hopes that the cancellation of the JASIG would not eventually lead to a complete termination of the peace talks between the government and the communist rebels. — MDM, GMA News