Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has expressed his strong support for the Marcos administration’s plan to reopen formal peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

Escudero, in a radio interview on Saturday, said any peace initiative to end communist insurgency is worthy of the support of every Filipino in order to attain lasting peace in the country.

“As a basic policy, I think every government should be open to any possibility of peaceful dialogues to settle any differences as opposed to simply pursuing war against fellow Filipinos,” Escudero said.

With the passing of CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison last year, the senator said the Filipino people should give the current communist leadership the opportunity to show their sincerity towards another round of peace negotiations.

“Para sa akin anumang mapayapang paraan para maresolbahan ang patayan, girian at awayan sa pagitan ng mga Pilipino, o sa pagitan pa ng Pilipinas at ng ibang bansa, ay para sa akin hindi dapat pinipigilan (For me, any peaceful way to resolve the killing, strife and enmity between Filipinos, or between the Philippines and other countries, is for me not to be prevented),” Escudero said.

“Dapat bukas palagi ang isang mapayapang paraan tulad ng pakikipag-usap para maresolba ang anumang hindi natin pagkakaunawaan (A peaceful way like talking should always be open to resolve any misunderstanding we have),” he stressed.

“Malay mo, nagbago ang sitwasyon. Malay mo iyong imposible noon ay posible na ngayon. At iyung ayaw tanggapin noon, tinatanggap na ngayon. Hindi natin masabi sa pagdaloy ng panahon ang pagbabago na pwedeng mangyari sa isip, sa puso at sa kaluluwa ng bawa’t mamamayan (we never know if the situation has changed. You know what was impossible before is now possible. And that which was not accepted before, is accepted now. We cannot tell with the passage of time the change that can happen in the mind, heart and soul of every citizen,” he pointed out.

Vice President Sara Duterte earlier criticized the Marcos administration over his decision to pursue peace talks with communist rebels as she described the government’s statement with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Oslo as an “agreement with the devil.”

This after a Joint Communique between the Philippine Government and the NDF was released last November 23 where it was announced that the two parties have agreed to a “principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict resolving the roots of the armed conflict and ending the arm struggle.”

Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the new development will pave the way for the peace talks to start again, after President Duterte terminated it in May 2017.

“Hindi ba sa mga pelikula, maraming beses na nabigyan ng second chance ang mga nagkamali? Pamahalaan tayo. Wala tayong karapatan na maubusan o mawalan ng pasensya. Wala tayong karapatang magalit o parating maging galit sa simumang sektor, grupo o tao (Isn't it in the movies, many times those who make mistakes are given a second chance? We are a government. We have no right to run out or lose patience. We do not have the right to be angry or to be angry with any sector, group or person),” the senator pointed out.

“Bawa’t Pilipino, sumusunod man sa batas o hindi; bawa’t Pilipino na sumusuporta man o lumalaban sa gobyerno, sila pa rin ay mga constituents at dapat ay pinagsisilbihan ng ating pamahalaan (Every Filipino, law abiding or not; every Filipino who supports or opposes the government, they are still constituents and should be served by our government),” Escudero stressed.