Govt insists: Ceasefire first before talks with communists

The government is standing by its proposal to have a ceasefire first before it resumes peace negotiations with communist rebels. "It's not a precondition. It's a basic logical proposition, lay down their arms first," said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda at a press briefing in Malacañang Wednesday. Lacierda said the Palace doesn't want the peace talks, once it resumes, to be interrupted by clashes between communist rebels and government troops. Lacierda made the statement after Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman and National Democratic Front of the Philippines chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison rejected President Benigno Aquino III's proposal for a ceasefire before the resumption of peace talks. In a statement released Tuesday, Sison said it was "unjust" to expect the communist party to engage in a ceasefire and surrender before the resumption of peace negotiations. “It is unjust for anyone to expect the revolutionary forces and the people to simply cease fire and surrender to a rotten ruling system that shuns patriotic and progressive demands and refuses to engage in basic reforms," said Singson, who is on self-exile in the Netherlands. Jam L. Sisante/KBK, GMANews.TV