NDF wants new admin to remove terror tag on NPA

Even before the incoming administration could formally be sworn in, communist rebels on Wednesday disclosed their first condition for the resumption of peace talks with the Philippine government. In a radio interview, a National Democratic Front (NDF) spokesman said that while the mainstream communist group is open to talks with Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III, it wants his administration to remove the terrorist tag on its armed wing first. Aquino appears headed to winning the May 10 presidential polls as shown by his very string showing based on the partial and unofficial tally as of Tuesday. "The NDF and Communist Party of the Philippines have always been open to peace talks. But we wish it would be on the level. The government claims it does not deal with terrorists. Yet it deems the CPP and New People’s Army terrorist groups. So it should work to remove the terrorist tag from these groups," NDF Mindanao spokesman Jorge “Ka Oris" Madlos said in Filipino over dzXL radio. Madlos was referring to the Arroyo government’s representations in the early 2000s to have the United States and European Union tag the NPA as a terrorist group. The terrorist tag on the NPA had been one of the key reasons behind the stalling of peace talks between the Arroyo government and the communist rebels in August 2004. "Marami pang parameter ng peace talks na dapat ayusin. Ang NDF interesado ma-resolve ang root ng crisis ang social problem sa Pilipinas (There are many other parameters to the peace talks that must be addressed. The NDF wants to resolve the root of the crisis and the country’s social problems)," Madlos said. On the other hand, Madlos warned the NPA is ready to "fight" against the new government if it refuses to address the social problems hounding the country. "Handa rin kami lumaban kung sakaling walang kasiguruhan makamit ng mamamayan ang tunay na para sa kanila (We are ready to fight if we see no certainty that the people will get what they deserve)," he said. — RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV