Congressmen back revival of talks with Maoist rebels
MORE than a hundred congressmen have backed a resolution calling for the resumption of peace talks between the government and Maoist rebels.
House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate said 131 lawmakers signed House Resolution 636.
“This resolution sends a strong message of support from the members of the House in pursuing the peace process as a way of ending the root causes of the more than five-decade armed rebellion,” he said.
The lawmaker also warned the government against “saboteurs” who allegedly seek to derail the peace talks.
“It is good that more and more people like our fellow solons are seeing the need for genuine peace as paramount and they are not swayed by the lies of these militarists, in and out of government,” Mr. Zarate said.
Mr. Duterte earlier said he would send an envoy to the Netherlands to talk to Communist party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison, who is in self-exile there, to revive negotiations. — Genshen L. Espedido
