DND's Lorenzana says Reds 'dribbling' peace process, but welcomes resumption of talks

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Sunday said the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) seems to be "dribbling" the peace process as he complained against relentless extortion and atrocities of communist guerrillas while the peace talks are ongoing.

Lorenzana, however, said he and the Armed Forces of the Philippines welcome the announcement of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza in Uthrecht, The Netherlands on the resumption of formal peace talks between the government and the CPP-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

"It's a good start. I hope the other side is sincere really in having a ceasefire. Mukhang dini-dribble-dribble lang nila tayo. Still, we in the ground, the military and the defense department, want a bilateral ceasefire. Iyong unilateral kasi, walang mechanism to check kung ano ang nangyayari eh. Nagtuturuan parati eh," he told reporters after the commencement exercises of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Salaknib Class of 2017.

"Iyong unilateral na iyon, hindi umuurong ang bilateral doon eh. Part of the objective of the GPH panel is to have bilateral ceasefire with the other side pero hindi nila pinag-uusapan parang ini-skirt ng kabila eh. Iyan ang tingin ko na dribble dribble lang tumatagal-tagal ang usapan habang ang kasamahan nila sa lupa keep on extorting, keep on doing atrocities," he added when asked to clarify.

Lorenzana said that the Department of National Defense and the military hope that a bilateral ceasefire would make both parties agree to stop fighting against each other and for the communists to stop their extortion.

He also revealed that the communist leaders have lost their grip on their people on the ground, which could be the root why some NPA members broke their own ceasefire.

"Kung ganoon, wala nang pag-uusapan, kausapin natin sa taas, wala naman pala silang kontrol sa baba," he said.

Despite the communists' 'dribbling' of the peace process and the possibility that their leaders no longer control their members, Lorenzana still pushes for the peace talks.

"It's worth trying kasi hindi naman pwedeng sarhan ang utak natin for possible peace in our land in the coming years. Let us continue," he said.

Meanwhile, AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the military will continue its operations against the NPA pending Duterte's unilateral ceasefire declaration, which Lorenzana concurred.

"We will anxiously await the official message of our panel and the instructions of our Commander-in-Chief. Pending this, all military operations will continue and remain at current state," he said.

AFP Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año, meanwhile, said the military is ready to follow orders of the President.

"You see, we are always prepared to follow the orders of our Commander-in-Chief," he said.

Rein in ground forces

In a statement released Sunday, Malacañang reminded urged the communists to do their part on moving the peace process forward.

Before President Rodrigo Duterte suspended the peace talks after soldiers were killed by NPA members in Mindanao last month, the fourth round of peace talks had been scheduled in April.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella also welcomed Dureza's announcement, but asked the communist leadership to control its ground forces.

"We remain hopeful that the leadership of the CPP/NPA/NDF can rein in its forces on the ground in reciprocating the efforts of the Duterte administration to move the peace process forward," he said.

"Peace-building, after all, is not the exclusive responsibility of the government.  The burden is also shared by those who claim to speak for the underserved," he added.

Abella also mentioned that the revival of the peace talks proves that the government and the communists want to work for the benefit of the public.

"The resumption of the peace talks is a welcome sign that both sides are in agreement about the common good of the Filipino people," he said.

This was mirrored by the government's chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III, who said expressed hopes that both parties would agree to sign a bilateral ceasefire agreement during negotiations.

"Ibabalik na 'yung pag-uusap tungkol sa kapayapaan at pipilitin namin na magkakaroon na ng signed, bilateral ceasefire agreement," he said. —with Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/ALG, GMA News