STATEMENT OF PARTIDO LIBERAL PRESIDENT SEN. FRANCIS PANGILINAN ON PEACE TALKS CANCELLATION

The Party expresses serious concern over the President's cancellation of peace talks with the National Democratic Front. Both sides have already endured enough, and cancelling the peace talks would only mean further suffering for all, especially civilians who are caught between the seemingly endless arms struggle.

We need to have a continuous dialogue about dealing with the civil unrest. We need to continue talking about land reform, improving and ensuring workers' rights, protecting indigenous peoples, and alleviating the injustices long felt by our country's working class.

There is much that can be done without shedding more blood. War has never been the best way to settle disputes, much less one that has persisted for nearly five decades.

We hope this cancellation is only temporary, another bump in the long road to lasting peace for all.