UniTeam senatorial candidate Harry Roque said that holding peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NDF) would be impossible.
“Wala na pong pag-asa ‘yan dahil mapagsamantala po ang mga komunista,” Roque, a presidential spokesperson said.
“Tuwing nagpe peace talks tayo, ginagamit nila ‘yan para palakasin ang kanilang puwersa. Wala po talagang katuturan ‘yang CPP-NPA,” he said.
Roque, a human rights lawyer, said that any form of violence is “unjustifiable.”
“Ang paggamit po ng dahas ay walang kahit anong justification lalung-lalo na ang pinapatay nila ay ang mahihirap na sundalo,” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte said he no longer wanted to negotiate with the communist rebel group because it has demanded “too much.”
“Ayaw ko nang makipag-usap eh kasi arogante. The participation of the government is just too much. Too much has been asked,” Duterte has said.
Earlier, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Nica) Director-General Alex Paul Monteagudo said reviving the talks with the rebels would only fail like what happened in the past.
The Sentrong Alyansa ng mga Mamamayan para sa Bayan (SAMBAYANAN), a group composed of former high-ranking officials and member supports local peace engagement and localized peace initiatives.
The group said appropriate, responsive, and peace-founded approach mechanisms are essential in the success of the entire mission to achieve lasting peace.
The peace negotiations between the national government and the CPP-NPA have been on and off since 1986.
