DAVAO CITY (June 3) — President Rodrigo Duterte said he already sent an invitation to Jose Maria Sison, the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines/National Democratic Front CPP/NDF, to come home for the peace talks.
But until now, Duterte said, he has yet to receive answer from Sison.
In his pre-departure speech Sunday morning, Duterte said “I have invited Sison. I do not have the clear answer. But I said, “if you come home, I will guarantee your safety and your security. If the talks fail, I’d be glad to escort you here and see you leave the Philippine territory pero sana huwag ka nang bumalik.”
Duterte admitted, the later part of the speech was a joke, “I… It was not a joke. Actually, it was — it’s my sentiment na we have suffered a lot, resources, lives and all. At sana it — sana matagumpay.”
Duterte said the government is again giving a try for a peace talk, “Pero kung hindi naman, sabihin ko na lang sa iyo na huwag ka nang bumalik. Let’s end this by just shaking our hands and we will resume the violent war. It leaves us no other alternative.
The government, according to Duterte, is willing to spend for Sison “But as I said, I’m willing to talk. Ako ang ga-guarantee sa billeting nila, pagkain, lahat. But my condition is that no demand for coalition. That is not acceptable to me at all and any other group for that matter asking autonomy. I will not and I will never agree of any splintered armed group na sabihin mo.”-Editha Z. Caduaya/NewsLine.ph
