Statement by Prof. Jose Maria Sison
NDFP Chief Political Consultant
December 5, 2018

Now comes the abrupt proposal for a permanent ceasefire from the direction of the Duterte regime.

Within the first half of the six-year Duterte term, it was possible not only to have a permanent ceasefire but even a just and lasting peace based on social, economic and political reforms.

But Duterte and his armed minions have only themselves to blame for the repeated terminations of peace negotiations that Duterte declared and for making preconditions such as the surrender of the NPA; the laying aside of the people’s demand for social, economic and political reforms; and the self-destruction of the revolutionary movement.

In his very first year of office, Duterte should have fulfilled his promise to amnesty and release all political prisoners. He would have gotten a ceasefire longer than the nearly six months from August 2016 to January 2017. And the peace negotiations would have advanced fast and smoothly.

The NDFP was already openly expecting that the comprehensive agreements would have been made before the end of 2018. But whenever the comprehensive agreement on social and economic reforms moved forward, Duterte always came up with a surprise declaration of termination.

Despite the brutal and fascist position of Duterte towards the question of peace negotiations, the NDFP maintains a policy of being open to peace negotiations if only to stop the Duterte regime from making a full blown dictatorship or at the maximum to mutually agree on the comprehensive agreements on social, economic and political reforms to address the roots of the armed conflict and realize a just and lasting peace.