PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has urged the government and the communists to come up with "clear parameters" for the restoration of peace talks and their respective unilateral ceasefire.
This was the President's instruction during the meeting of the National Security Council's executive committee held at MalacaƱang Palace on Monday night, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said on Tuesday.
"On the peace process, the President acknowledged the joint statement of the [government] and NDF (National Democratic Front) peace panels on the intent to resume formal peace talks," Abella said in a press briefing.
"To ensure that genuine peace talks are realized, the President asked both panels to agree on clear parameters for ceasefire and the talks," he added.
Duterte, in a press conference on Monday, said the resumption of peace negotiations between the government peace panel and the NDF consultants would give way to end the armed conflict in the country.
The President had earlier terminated the peace talks and said he considers the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People's Army (NPA), and NDF as "terrorists."
He, however, had toned down his pronouncement and said he was still open to negotiating with CPP/NPA/NDF.
Before the formal announcement of the resumption of peace talks, Duterte earlier revealed that back-channel negotiations had been conducted between the two groups. (SunStar Philippines)