TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Top Philippine communist leaders freed to join peace talks
Change Size
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his first State of the Nation Address before the 17th Congress July 25 in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. Duterte declared a unilateral cease-fire with communist guerrillas effectively immediately July 25 and asked the rebels to do the same to end decades of deadly violence and foster the resumption of peace talks. (AP/Bullit Marquez)
T
wo top Philippine communist rebel leaders have walked out of a maximum security jail to join next week's resumption of Norway-brokered peace talks aimed at ending one of Asia's longest-raging rebellions.
The Communist Party of the Philippines has welcomed the successive releases of 22 detained rebels who are to join the negotiations in Oslo as consultants, saying the move boosts confidence in President Rodrigo Duterte's determination to find peace.
Top rebel couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon smiled and raised their fists Friday as they stepped out of detention at the national police headquarters, where their supporters greeted them.
In a news conference after their release, they thanked Duterte for their release and for a restart of talks that will tackle wide-raging reforms in a bid to end the conflict.
