The petitioners said they would participate in back-channel talks and consultations prior to the holding of fifth round of talks with the government panel. The fresh round of the Norwegian-brokered peace negotiations are expected to work out a deal on a joint interim ceasefire, social and economic reforms and human rights issues. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, chair of the government peace panel, said an interim peace agreement to pave the way for the resumption of formal peace talks had been worked out by both parties in back-channel talks. In their motions to travel, the five communist leaders argued that their participation was indispensable in the drafting of a Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms—a key point in the fifth round of talks. Tiamzon and Silva, meanwhile, requested that the court also lift their arrest warrants issued on Jan. 11.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 01, 2018 23:03 UTC