Screen cap of video: ABS-CBN via YouTube - NDF, CPP will not accept cabinet positions offered by Duterte but will give a shortlist of possible progressive and competent people
- Joma Sison will remain NDF peace negotiating panel chief consultant and will not take any cabinet position
- Political analysts see Duterte’s offer as a good move in forming a unity government and the peace process will definitely push through
MANILA- Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison will submit a list of qualified people to fill up the cabinet positions at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) as offered by incoming President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte’s cabinet position offer to CPP was described as “electrifying” by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace negotiating panel chairperson Luis Jalandoni. In an interview by ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau, Jalandoni said Duterte’s proposal will empower the farmers. He added that offering CPP four cabinet positions will “remove the shackles of oppression and exploitation” and is considered a new pace for unity.
Previously, Sison has been asked to be part of Duterte’s cabinet. In an article written by Delfin Mallari and Jr., Leila Salaverria published in Inquirer, Sison declined the offer of the incoming president saying that any CPP and NDFP official, member or expert, cannot join any position of the Duterte Cabinet not until the peace negotiations reach a successful and contented conclusion.
In an article written by Kristine Angeli Sabillo for the Inquirer, Sison said he will not be accepting the cabinet position and will remain as the chief political consultant of the NDFP in the peace negotiations.
However, Sison could ask “patriotic and progressive” people outside of the CPP who are honest, diligent, and competent to join the cabinet during the ongoing peace negotiations. He added that this is the party’s way of returning “magnanimity and goodwill” of Duterte in his offer.
The Dean of College of Liberal Arts of De La Salle University Julio Teehankee said Duterte’s move to offer cabinet position was genius. Offering social service-oriented cabinet position to the Left will ensure a socially inclusive coalition. He added that Duterte’s move to form a unity government has never been done in the history of the country.
The Institute for Political and Electoral Reform executive director Ramon Casiple stated that the cabinet offer is a trust-building measure which could effectively start a peace negotiation with the communists who are waging a rebellion for five decades. He added that cabinet positions that were offered are not crucial, saying these positions are concerned with basic services and are not concerned with national defense or foreign affairs.
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