AFP calls for
CPP sincerity
to restart peace talks
THE Armed Forces yesterday asked the
Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army/National
Democratic Front to show sincerity in pursuing a peace accord
with the government so that the stalled peace negotiations can
resume.
In a press briefing, Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres,
chief of the AFP public affairs office, said the communists do
not appear interested in going back to the negotiating table
amid successive raids and attacks against government and
civilian targets in Southern Mindanao region in the past weeks.
He said the Reds should heed the call of former AFP chief and
now presidential adviser on the peace process Hermogenes Esperon
for a cease-fire preceding a resumption of negotiations. "They
have to show sincerity for us to be able to talk peace. Giving
directives to launch more offensives is definitely not a sign of
sincerity."
The peace talks had been stalled since 2004
after the communists withdrew from the talks to protest the
inclusion of the CPP/NPA in the United States' list of foreign
terrorist organizations.
Torres said both sides cannot talk peace
while its forces are fighting. "The government is always open to
negotiations, that is what we want to happen. The government
cannot just be sincere while the other is not."
Torres said the military's offensives against the Reds should
not be read as insincerity but the AFP's "necessary action to
protect the people against extortion, arson, killing and other
attacks" perpetrated by NPAs. - Victor Reyes
