NDFP shrugs off Sara Duterte’s ‘agreement with the devil’ barb vs peace talks

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Government officials and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines agree to a " principled="" and="" peaceful="" resolution="" of="" the="" armed="" Palace="" said.="" PCO="" handout="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/11/28/20231128-officials.jpg"/><figcaption>Government officials and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines agree to a &quot;principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict,&quot; the Palace said. PCO handout</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) on Wednesday shrugged off Vice President Sara Duterte’s comment that restarting peace talks with their group is like forging an “agreement with the devil.” While the Vice President has a negative opinion, there are also other government officials who are optimistic about the expected peace negotiations next year, said Coni Ledesma, a member of the NDFP’s peace negotiating panel.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/04/23/vp-sara-resuming-peace-talks-with-reds-an-agreement-with-the-devil">VP Duterte tells Marcos: Resuming peace talks with communist rebels an &#x27;agreement with the devil&#x27;</a></li></ul>“That’s her opinion. The fact is the Government of the Philippines (GRP) and the NDFP have begun to talk,” said Ledesma, who is staying in the Netherlands, along with other NDFP leaders. “Ang importante sa amin, this was initiated by General [Emmanuel] Bautista and supported by Secretary [Carlito] Galvez, with the approval of President [Ferdinand] Marcos [Jr.],” she told ABS-CBN News in a virtual interview.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/28/23/govt-ndfp-agree-to-resume-peace-talks">Gov&#x27;t, communist rebels agree to resume peace talks</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/29/23/philippine-govt-rebels-agree-to-peace-negotiations">Philippine government, rebels agree to peace negotiations</a></li></ul>Earlier this week, Duterte urged Marcos Jr. to reconsider the government’s planned peace negotiations with communist rebels, citing the New People’s Army’s (NPA) previous violations of ceasefire agreements. Former President Rodrigo Duterte — the current vice president’s father — reopened peace negotiations with the NDFP shortly after he rose to power in 2016. After 3 years, Duterte permanently ended peace negotiations under his administration, accusing the rebels of repeatedly violating ceasefire agreements, and allegedly using the talks to free imprisoned communist leaders. “The NPA also was saying na maraming violations ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the ceasefire,” Ledesma said. “Yung ibang opinions, kaniya-kaniya na yan… Para sa amin, we will do our best to make the talks succeed,” she said. So far, the peace panels of both sides have yet to discuss if there should be a ceasefire agreement, the NDFP official said, noting that the decision to restart negotiations are still in the very early stages. “It’s not on the table at the moment,” Ledesma said when asked about a possible ceasefire deal. “It’s the first half step towards the resumption of talks. Marami pa kaming dapat pag-usapan… Hindi pa namin na concretize,” she said. “As we progrss with the peace talks, we will inform you how it develops,” she added. But Ledesma admitted that the NDFP has yet to schedule a meeting with the leaders of its armed wing, which has been engaged in several skirmished with the military for decades. “Nandito kami sa Europe,” Ledesma said, referring to NDFP leaders who have been living in self-exile in the Netherlands. “Wala naman kaming naririnig na pagpuna o they don’t want it so we presume that they agree with the talks,” she said. “Alam nila na pag may talks susuportahan nila yan. Pinagkasunduan noon pa yan. Hindi na namin sila kailangan kausapin at ipapaliwanag,” she added. So far, both the NDFP and the GRP are still in the process of finalizing the members of their respective peace panels, Ledesma said. The NDFP has so far named Julieta de Lima — wife of late NDFP founder Jose Maria Sison — as interim chairperson of its peace panel. Its members are Ledesma and Asterio Palima. Former NDFP peace panel chair Luis Jalandoni will serve as senior adviser because he is already retired, Ledesma said. The NDFP still lacks two other peace negotiators who would replace its late officials Benito Tiamzon and Fidel Agcaoili, she said. The government has yet to announce the members of its own peace panel. The NDFP, the Communist Party of the Philippines and other organizations under its umbrella began in the 1970s to quell then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship. The armed struggle has persisted for decades as the government and leaders of the communist movement failed to reach an agreement. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — scion and namesake of the chief executive who caused the formation of these groups — earlier signed a document granting amnesty for former rebels who wish to return to the fold of society.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/24/23/marcos-grants-amnesty-to-former-rebels">Marcos grants amnesty to former rebels &#x27;to foster lasting peace&#x27;</a></li></ul>The NDFP earlier expressed it “guarded optimism” that a peace deal can finally be reached under the current administration. “I would prefer to focus on the positive side where people are hoping that this will move forward,” Ledesma said. “We are confident that if we discuss, if we are open to each other, we will come up with agreements,” she said. “We will take it one day at a time.”<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2894449" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div> </div>

The NDFP shrugged off Vice President Sara Duterte’s comment that restarting peace talks with their group is like forging an “agreement with the devil.” 

NDFP shrugs off Sara Duterte’s ‘agreement with the devil’ barb vs peace talks | ABS-CBN

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NDFP shrugs off Sara Duterte’s ‘agreement with the devil’ barb vs peace talks

NDFP shrugs off Sara Duterte’s ‘agreement with the devil’ barb vs peace talks

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 06, 2023 11:33 PM PHT

|

Updated Dec 06, 2023 11:40 PM PHT

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National Democratic Front of the Philippines

NDFP

Sara Duterte

peace talks

peace negotiations

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