The fourth round of the formal talks opened around 10 am Monday (4 pm Philippine time), a day late as scheduled after President Rodrigo Duterte issued his conditions before proceeding the formal talks with the communists.
Speaking before the Filipino migrant workers who wanted to join the opening of the fourth round of talks at the Radisson Blu Palace Hotel here on Sunday morning, government chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III said the government panel needed to discuss the instructions from President Duterte with their counterparts from the NDFP.
Following the announcement of government peace panel chair Silvestre Bello III that the Philippine government will not issue a unilateral ceasefire, the Communist Party of the Philippines did not proceed with the issuance of its interim ceasefire on March 31.
Philippine government chief peace negotiator Silvestre Bello III said the government will not declare a unilateral ceasefire prior to the fourth round of talks with the communists in the coming days.
As the fourth round of peace talks draws near between government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, a militant lawmaker urged farmers on Monday to rally behind the working draft on Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms.
The Communist Party of the Philippines is expected to issue a unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire not later than March 31 in support of the fourth round of peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) set on April 2-6 in The Netherlands.
Nine days prior to the resumption of the formal peace talks set between the government and communists come April, the New People’s Army freed two members of the Civilians Auxiliary Force and Geographical Unit in a village here on Friday afternoon.
President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his previous position that there will be no more releases of political prisoners aside from those who are dying and elderly more than a week before the scheduled fourth round of talks with the communists.
The implementing panels of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front inked the Terms of Reference for the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Tuesday.
The Royal Norwegian Embassy announced Tuesday the resumption of the new round of talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
