Phillipine president-elect to negotiate with Maoist rebels

Four years after the peace talks stalled, Philippine president-elect Rodrigo Duterte has agreed to resume formal peace negotiations with Maoist-led rebels in Oslo, starting in July.

The Philippines began talks with the communist National Democratic Front in 1986 to resolve one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies, which has killed more than 40,000 people and stunted growth in the Philippines over almost 50 years.

Brokered by Norway, the peace talks stalled four years ago when president Benigno Aquino declined to free political prisoners, including members of the rebels’ negotiating team who had been arrested, according to the Guardian.

More than 500 political prisoners are being held, of which 19 are members of the rebels’ negotiating team.

Duterte’s peace adviser, Jesus Dureza, said the resumption of peace talks would be formalised once Duterte took office.

The two sides also agreed to adhere to all previous agreements and to discuss “The two sides were very optimistic the talks would succeed after Duterte agreed to appoint to his cabinet two leftwing members supported by the rebels, with another two positions promised,” Durenza said.

social and economic reforms, he said.

The agreement reportedly came after two days of informal talks with Europe-based exiled rebel leaders in Norway.

“We will recommend the release of all political prisoners to Duterte once he assumes the presidency and both sides will work for an interim ceasefire to boost the formal resumption of peace talks in the third week of July in Oslo,” Dureza said.

Duterte formally takes office on 30 June.