OVER insistence of the rebels demanding the releases of 16 jailed comrades and dropping off some charges against them, the government may again sink the peace talks, says Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Avelino Razon Jr.
This as the planned resumption of talks to end one of Asia’s longest communist rebellions hang anew because of the demands the government could not immediately grant.
Razon said, “We cannot subvert our legal process.”
Malacañang ruled out acceding to the demand of the Communist Party of the Philippines that 14 communist leaders be released from detention as a precondition for the resumption of formal peace talks because some of the prisoners they want freed are facing “common crimes” such as “murder” and “kidnapping.”
In a statement, CPP founder Jose Maria Sison demanded the release of the 14 senior communist leaders, insisting that they were “consultants” in the peace process. (PIA)
