Duterte gov't eyes truce with NPA rebels before SONA

The incoming administration is eyeing to declare ceasefire with communist rebels before  President-elect Rodrigo Duterte delivers his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), incoming chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III said Tuesday.

At a press briefing in Davao City, Bello said the declaration of the ceasefire would follow the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) that is expected to start on the third week of July.

"Afer we resume talks formally, we declare ceasefire, then they (CPP-NDF) declare ceasefire then we form the committees for implementation," he said.

Bello said all this could happen before Duterte delivers his SONA on July 25.

Earlier this month, Bello, along with incoming presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza and former Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza, met with the CPP-NDF leaders in Norway to open peace talks anew.

"I'm very happy to tell you that results were very positive," Bello said, referring to the exploratory talks.

"The time we spent there was quality time dahil we achieved what we wanted to achieve when we went there which was to convince them to return to the peace table," he added.

During the talks, Bello said they agreed to finalize the talks within the first year of the Duterte administration.

"Ano ba 'yung feasible period... napag-usapan na it should be within nine to 12 months," he said.

He noted, however, that they are still keeping in mind the three to six months promised by Duterte during which he would end crime in the country.

"Sabi niya 'I will crush crime within three to six months.' We are also prepared for that," he said. —KBK, GMA News