Lorenzana backs resuming peace talks with Reds if they agree to bilateral ceasefire

September 18, 2017

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reiterates that he will support the resumption of peace negotiation if the communist group agree to a bilateral ceasefire agreement.

“I support that also, he (President Rodrigo Duterte) is asking for conditions, the bilateral ceasefire, that there should be no talks while there are fighting, that is what he wants, so I support that move of the president,” said Lorenzana Monday.

In a statement last Sunday, the Palace said Duterte is set to consult his security advisers if he will continue peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

However, Lorenzana, chairman of the National Security Council, said he hasn’t discussed the matter with the president.

“We haven’t talked yet. I am the chairman of the security cluster so … we will convene and talk the idea of the president to resume the peace talk with the CPP-NPA (New People’s Army),” he said.

It can be recalled that during his second State of the Nation Address last July, Duterte announced that he no longer want to talk peace with the communist group.

Nearly a month before his SONA, the government suspended the fifth round of talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front) because of the series of attacks by the rebels against the military and police forces. Robina Asido/DMS