Philippine leftist rebels have no credibility to talk peace

The Philippine government said Sunday that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) has no credibility to talk peace for now. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in an interview on state-run radio this was due to the rebels' alleged insincerity as they have been engaged in attacking civilians. "They continue to attack civilian targets, they have killed many civilians. So maybe they have no credibility to talk about peace when they have no intention to speak peace with the government," he said. Unlike the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest Muslim rebel group in the country, he said the problem with the leftist rebels is "ideological." "What they have been demanding were all ideological," Lacierda said. Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles has said that one of the demands of the NDF, the political wing of the CPP-NPA, before returning to the negotiating table was to abrogate all international treaties. The peace talks between the government and the NDF bogged down in February after the two sides failed to agree on the terms of the peace process. The government is now looking for a new approach to end the more than four-decade leftist insurgency.