DAVAO CITY (November 16) —Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza yesterday said he is hopeful the possible meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) negotiators will lead to the resumption of peace talks.
Dureza in an interview in ANC’s Dateline Philippines, said both parties’ recent gestures are a “welcome development” in moving peace forward with the Communists.
“The announcement of the President is something that we should welcome, and we should also welcome the openness of CPP-NPA-NDF to work towards resumption of peace negotiations,” he said.
Dureza also expressed confidence the President will continue his administration’s pursuit for lasting peace.
“While he’s being forceful in seeing to it that there is peace in the country, he also knows that we cannot just resolve this militarily. We also have to address the root cause,” the peace adviser said.
Duterte has earlier said he may meet with NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili and senior adviser Luis Jalandoni.
“Agcaoili and Jalandoni – I will not keep it a secret. I do not want (it to be) confidential. They will come here. They want to talk to me,” Duterte said.
The President also said he will announce if the meeting will push through when he comes back from participating in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summits in Singapore and Papua New Guinea, respectively.-OPAPP
