The Philippine government dismissed new threats from the communist New People's Army (NPA), adding that it will pursue the renewal of long-stalled peace talks with the communist National Democratic Front (NDF), a senior official said.

"You can see that the peace initiatives are continuing, hopefully until we can bring the two sides back to the negotiating table," said Ignacio Bunye, the spokesman of President Gloria Arroyo.

"We want long-lasting peace," Bunye said, adding that President Gloria Arroyo has not given attention to the threat of Armando Liwanag, the nom de guerre of Jose Maria Sison, the founder of the 35 year old Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) who said that the leftist group will not support Arroyo in the 2004 elections.

The government peace panel has scheduled talks with the NDF in Europe in January. Earlier, Arroyo unilaterally declared a ceasefire until January 6.

At the same time, NPA members held a public gathering in Agusan del Sur, Mindanao, in the south, and boasted of having succeeded in raising funds from politicians who wanted to campaign in the hinterlands, for the national elections in May.

Jorge Madlos, spokesman of the leftist group in Mindanao, admitted having charged P 50,000 ($904) for mayoral candidates for campaign permits in the NPA-controlled areas.

"It depends on the negotiating capacity of the individual candidate," Madlos said about cost of campaign permits. Sources said the group charges as high P500,000 per candidate.

"The NPA would extend the guerrilla fronts to the majority of municipalities, especially those in the strategic parts of the archipelago," Madlos said in a statement that was issued belatedly for the 35th anniversary of the CPP.

The group said it will advise peasants who to vote for in 2004, even if it will allow all candidates to campaign in the CPP-NPA-controlled areas. Many of those who do not have campaign permits were slain or ambushed in such areas.

Liwanag called for the isolation of Arroyo due to her pro-US stance and negotiations for out of court settlement with family members of ex-president Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies.

The CPP-NPA has been fighting for a Maoist form of government.



Gulf News Online