Will he or won’t he? Government Peace Panel Chief Negotiator and Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said on Thursday President Duterte will have the final say on whether to approve or scrap the possible unilateral cease-fire and other terms for the resumption of peace talks with the communist rebels.
“He will be the one to make the announcement. I don’t want to preempt him,” Bello said in an ambush interview.
He said Duterte gave him the specific instructions during their meeting on Wednesday evening, where he presented the result of his talks with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison during the weekend.
In a radio interview, Bello said among the “goodwill measures” up for consideration for Duterte is the possible unilateral cease-fire of the government, which is scheduled on either December 20 or 21, in time for the Christmas holiday, and the release of arrested communist consultants.
He also said the President has yet to decide on the venue for the peace talks.
As of press time, Malacañang has yet to issue a statement on the matter.
Duterte earlier said he wants the negotiations to be held in the country, while Sison insists it should still be done overseas.
Bello said currently what is certain is Sison’s willingness to personally meet with Duterte.
Duterte ordered the termination of the panel-to-panel peace negotiations with the CPP in 2017, after it allegedly continued its attacks against government uniformed personnel even while the peace talks were being held.
Bello said they hope to go back to the negotiating table with the CPP by next month.