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Inquirer/PhilStar
MANILA
THE Philippine government no longer sees the need to have a third-party facilitator in the peace talks between the government and communist rebels.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made this statement as he confirmed that President Rorigo Duterte wanted the peace talks to be held in the Philippines instead of Norway, the third-party facilitator between the peace negotiations government and communists.
Roque said that there is no need to go abroad to talk peace with fellow Filipinos, adding that President Rodrigo Duterte has already guaranteed the safety of rebel negotiators and consultants.
"But the president has emphasised that this is a talk between Filipinos, should be held in the Philippines,"Roque said in a press briefing at the Palace.
Asked who would facilitate the peace talks in the Philippines, Roque said,"We have a panel. And they have the authority to fix the logistics," he added.
The government, he said, would communicate the matter to the Norwegian government."Whatever process needs to be undertaken will be undertaken but the President has emphasised that this is a talk between Filipinos it should be held in the Philippines."
Should the Philippines become the next venue of the talks, there will be no need for a third-party facilitator anymore although help from other countries will be welcomed, Roque said.
Despite having no third-party facilitator, Roque said"any party" willing to help would be welcome.
"Any party who wants to help and who has been involved in the process can help," he said.
He also stressed that the chief executive is serious about forging a deal that would end the communist insurgency in the country. The Communist Party of the Philippines and New People's Army have been waging what they call a people's war since 1969.
He pointed out that Duterte has ordered the Department of Justice to file the necessary motions in court to grant individuals who would participate in the talks temporary liberty as evidence of his sincerity.
Roque said Duterte himself guaranteed the safety and security of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison should he decide to return to the country and participate in the process.
The same Department of Justice also has a petition before a Manila court to officially declare hundreds of suspected communists as terrrorists under the Human Security Act.
The presidential spokesperson added that Duterte himself offered to shoulder all of Sison's expenses while in the Philippines.
Separate peace negotiations with the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were held abroad and were done with foreign facilitators. The peace process with the Cordillera People's Liberation Army, which led to the 1992 Mount Data ceasefire accord and a Memorandum of Agreement in 2011, was done locally.
