By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
NDFP Chief Political Consultant
December 26, 2019
I thank President Duterte for the offer to meet him one-on-one. But it is premature for me to go to the Philippines before the mutual approval of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms. Let the GRP and NDFP negotiating panels 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.
Nevertheless, I am willing to meet with President Duterte in a country near the Philippines after the formal resumption of the peace negotiations and the mutual approval of the Interim Peace Agreement, provided the Royal Norwegian Government as third party facilitator helps in securing the necessary political, legal and security guarantees from a number of pertinent countries.
I would be putting the prospect of peace negotiations at risk if I make myself available for any kind of attack by officers of the AFP and PNP who think that they can end the revolutionary movement by getting rid of me and who are increasingly disobedient to President Duterte and continue to make offensive movements despite the current ceasefire ordered by the CPP to the NPA.
The current basic problems of the Filipino people are imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism. I will work with anyone who notices these three elephants in the room and agrees with me that these problems must be solved in order to achieve full national independence, democracy and social justice which are the guiding principles of the peace negotiations as set forth by The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992.
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Duterte wants ‘one-on-one’ talk with Joma Sison
By: Darryl John Esguerra – Reporter / @DJEsguerraINQ
INQUIRER.net / 01:19 PM December 26, 2019
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1206096/duterte-asks-for-one-on-one-talk-with-joma-sison?fbclid=IwAR3oV1zuvfFwoFgiStCvnuSKkqWZtSFPu_pDdftq2VUXUZVdp0-mJ4EBAdE
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is eyeing a “one-on-one” talk with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria “Joma” Sison amid the possible resumption of peace talks between the government and communist rebels.
In a Palace briefing Thursday, Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President told him on Christmas Eve that he is seeking an audience with the communist leader as the two parties agreed to a holiday ceasefire.
Panelo said Duterte guaranteed Sison he will not be arrested should he come home from The Netherlands where he is currently in exile.
“The President is daring him to come home to the Philippines and have a one-on-one talk…no government panel and no panel on the communist side,” Panelo said.
“He’s asking him to come to the Philippines, there will be no enforcement of any warrant. Just come to the Philippines and talk to (him),” he added.
Duterte declared a holiday truce nationwide from midnight of December 23, 2019, until 11:59 p.m. of January 7, 2020.
However, CPP’s armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), reportedly staged two separate attacks in Camarines Sur and Iloilo just hours after the holiday truce took effect, resulting in the death of a soldier.
Malacañang condemned these attacks but asked the communist group to explain the alleged violation of the holiday cessation of hostilities.
“But nevertheless, we are giving them the chance to explain why they committed such violation and since the President has always been open, giving a little window in pursuit of peace, he will wait for the explanation coming from them,” Panelo said.
Duterte earlier this year officially shut down the possible resumption of peace negotiations with the communist rebels and paved the way for localized peace talks.
However, earlier this month the President ordered Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to reach out to the CPP leadership on what he called his “last card” in attaining peace under his administration