Manila formally axes latest peace round with communists
The Philippine government on Sunday formally called off the latest round of peace talks with communist insurgents, after the parties failed to resolve a dispute over a rebel order for fighters to step up attacks.
"We are maintaining the decision made not to participate in the fifth round of talks," chief government negotiator Jesus Dureza told journalists after almost 10 hours of closed-door consultations.
"There are no compelling reasons for us to change the decision... which we announced yesterday," he said, adding that Manila was "formally" withdrawing from the round.
It was the fifth scheduled round of talks since the resumption of formal negotiations between Manila and the communists in August.
They were meant to address such issues as a joint interim ceasefire, social and economic reforms and human rights issues.
The breakdown of the talks, held in a scenic Dutch seaside resort, came as fighting flared Sunday between Philippine government forces and Islamist militants in the south, with the death toll nearing 100 after almost a week of fighting.
Talks stalled Saturday when Dureza objected to the communists' telling guerrillas to intensify attacks in response to President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of martial law in parts of the country.
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