MANILA, Philippines — A former party-list representative and peace advocate has urged on Thursday President Rodrigo Duterte to proceed with the resumption of the peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) after the 15-day reciprocal unilateral ceasefire agreement between the government troops and communist rebels ended on Tuesday.
In a statement, former Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao said: “there’s more to gain in the peace negotiations compared to the military approach to end the decades-long armed insurgency in the country as pushed by warmongers inside the Duterte government.”
“We urge the Duterte government to pursue the path for just and lasting peace by allowing negotiations to continue with the NDFP. It would be a good New Year’s start,” Casilao said.
The former lawmaker also slammed Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. for opposing the resumption of the peace talks between the Duterte government and NDFP.
Casilao said that socioeconomic reforms under the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Agreement (CASER) would be “better for the majority of the people who clamor for genuine social change.”(Stacy Ang/JGo/CurrentPH.com)
