Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (Photo: EPA/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on November 23 signed a proclamation to formally terminate talks with the country's armed groups, ending hope for stopping half-a-century conflict via dialogue.
In a statement, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte has directed the office of the presidential peace advisers to cancel talks and meetings with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP).
The Duterte administration revived the talks with the groups in August last year. But the talks have since bogged down due to a series of attacks launched by the rebels against troops and civilians.
Since 1986, the government has been trying to reach a peace deal with the rebels but failed to make any headway.
Conflict between the Government army and the armed groups began in 1969, claiming about 30,000 lives.-VNA
VNA
