Peace Negotiation With CPP Leader Joma Sison Would Collapse

Peace talks would be doomed if it would be held in Manila, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison insisted on Tuesday after the insistence of President Duterte that the talks should be held in the Philippines.

“Why should I talk outside? I’m talking about our country, my country, and their country, and they want to take over and overthrow the government. And why do we have to talk [about] the f***ing thing outside?” Duterte said in a speech during the 81st anniversary of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in Pasay City.

Sison earlier says that the peace negotiations would collapse if the President would dictate the venue of the resumption of the peace negotiations as for the safety of both leaders.

Joma also assailed the choice of venue of the President, saying it would be easy for the government to conduct “surveillance and control” among communist rebels joining the talks.

But Duterte gave his oft-repeated assurance to Sison that he would guarantee the safety of the exiled leader while he is in the Philippines.

He said this was part of his promise to “arrive at a certain level of peace.”

“Bakit ako pupunta doon sa ibang lugar? Dito tayo. I guaranteed him safety and security for the duration of the talks. I gave him a small window. So let’s talk for 60 days.

“And in that period, you come home. I will pay for your expenses,” he added.

But if the talks fail, Duterte said he would let Sison leave the Philippines but warned him to never come back to the country.

“If after the two-month period wala, I will see to it that you walk out of the Philippines safely. Pero sabihin ko sa ‘yo, do not ever, ever come back, ever,” he said.