The Philippines has been fighting two insurgencies by communists and Muslim separatists since the late 1960s. The internal security risk has delayed development of parts of the country, particularly investment in resource-rich Mindanao.
The government of President Benigno Aquino III promised this week to restart talks with both groups of rebels in an effort to end the two long-running conflicts.
In a statement, the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) welcomed the initiative but set demands it said must be met before it could negotiate. “To resume and push forward the peace negotiations, the Aquino government needs to commit itself to all previous agreements,” the CPP statement said.
“The CPP also urged the Aquino government to resolve the outstanding cases of abduction and enforced disappearances of NDF peace consultants,” it said, referring to negotiators from its political wing, the National Democratic Front.
It called for the release of NDF figures held under Aquino’s predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Peace talks with the CPP, like those with the Muslim separatists, have been a stop-start process.
Communist Party spokesman Marco Valbueva said the abduction, enforced disappearance and illegal detention of rebel leaders violated a security and immunity deal with the government.
